From CHRIS JAMES, poet (Winner of National Poetry Competition 2008)
I was so very sorry to hear about the impact of the Arts Council England cuts on Arc Publications. It must be truly galling when you're doing something with such integrity and passion to have the rug suddenly pulled from beneath you. The cuts seem especially arbitary and unfair given your positive ACE assessment last year.
From the first Arc book I bought (Andy Brown, 2002) I saw that you were doing something different, brave and challenging. Equally, your work in bringing new poets in translation to UK readers is simply not being done on the same scale or to the same quality anywhere else.
Arc Publications has an essential role in bringing new influences to the UK, keeping our poetry infused with new language, new ways of thinking and expression. Our poetry would be considerably narrower without it.
I commend you for refusing to support a one size fits all approach to contemporary poetry. Keep up the excellent, uncompromising work.