Publishers ask every MS for help in crisis that could wipe out the industry in Wales

Martin Shipton

Representatives of the book publishing industry in Wales have appealed for urgent help to every Senedd Member, saying they are facing what could be a terminal financial crisis.

In a letter to all 60 MSs, Natalie Williams, who chairs Cyhoeddi Cymru/ Publishing Wales, a trade organisation established in 2022 to represent Wales-based publishers, said she wanted to draw attention to the critical situation facing the publishing industry in Wales.

Funding cuts

Director of University of Wales Press since 2017, Ms Williams stated: “The industry primarily consists of small and micro businesses who produce high quality books from Wales, across all genres for diverse readerships in both languages, and employs full and part-time staff and skilled freelancers located in every part of Wales.

“Some of us publish in both Welsh and English, while others publish in English or Welsh only, but the publishers of Wales now face the same financial cliff-edge after more than a decade when standstill funding has been outpaced by inflation and increased costs. This steady decline has deteriorated to a critical tipping-point following a 10% cut for the 2024/25 financial year. The grant funding is provided by the Welsh Government via the Books Council of Wales.

“The funding cuts since 2013/14 are provided below, but when the impact of inflation is taken into account the value of the grants has reduced by 40%. Moreover, when compared to the publishing grants at the start of the austerity agenda in 2010/11, the grants have almost halved.

“Cyhoeddi Cymru is currently completing a survey of the Welsh publishing industry which we look forward to publishing shortly. This will provide Senedd Members with an overview of the size and relative strength of publishing in Wales, and will enable us to identify how we can further develop and grow.

“In the meantime, many of Wales’ book publishers are already deciding, as a result of the very sharp rise in the costs of raw materials and increased overheads, within the context of an intensely competitive, low margin industry, to cut both their staffing complement and book output. Further job losses will inevitably follow even on standstill funding at the new levels. Were there to be a further funding cut, publishers already operating on a shoestring will be facing an existential threat.”

Support

Ms Williams went on to state that the Welsh Government was currently providing financial support for a Welsh stand at the London and Frankfurt Book Fairs, with some support to individual children’s publishers to attend at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

She added: “These are the three major international trade fairs for Welsh publishers, who consistently strive to export books via distribution and rights deals across Europe, North America, Australasia, India, and elsewhere. Support for these trade fairs is hugely appreciated, but the effectiveness of this support is deeply undermined by cutbacks to the industry’s core business model.

“Publishers have worked incredibly hard in challenging circumstances to establish a strong international reputation for Welsh books in both languages. This is now being jeopardised by decades of government cuts and standstill budgets.

“Many publishers fear they may now have to cease trading. Not only would that be a personal disaster for the individuals involved, along with their employees and families, but it would also leave many Welsh-based writers, editors and illustrators with no home-grown publishing industry to work with. In addition, the ancillary industries who rely on Welsh publishers, such as printers, typesetters, designers, distributors and a host of freelancers would be forced to look beyond Wales to earn a living.

“In order to avert the collapse of the Welsh publishing industry, Cyhoeddi Cymru / Publishing Wales urges Senedd Members to support our requests that:

* No further budget cuts are implemented from 2025/26 onwards;

* Publishing grants should be restored to their 2010/11 levels, to include the impact of inflation; and

* A meaningful partnership is forged between the Senedd, Welsh Government and the publishing industry in Wales.

Perilous

Ms Williams stated: “The position is now perilous. The fate of one of Wales’ oldest industries rests with you and we respectfully ask you to help prevent this catastrophic collapse by investing in one of our true national treasures.”

The letter is also signed by the rest of the Cyhoeddi Cymru/ Publishing Wales’ board.

On October 17 Helgard Krause, chief executive of the Books Council of Wales, told a Senedd Culture Committee inquiry: “We’re at risk of losing publishers completely.”

She called for a 10-year strategic intervention to make Wales a reading nation and urged the Welsh Government to adopt international examples of best practices.

This post was originally published on here