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Feminist publishing – then, now and in the future

Saturday, 22nd April, 2017    
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Nottingham Mechanics Institute
3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ

fempubWhy are there now only 2 feminist publishing houses (Virago and Honno) in the UK when there were many more in the 80s? Yet, given technological changes, it’s easier to set up an independent publisher than it has ever been. Men’s books are still much more likely to be published and reviewed than those by women.

The Panel:
Ailah Ahmed is a commissioning editor at Little, Brown Book Group. She works across two imprints: Little, Brown/Abacus and Virago. Ailah acquires fiction and non-fiction as well as works in translation. She has held editorial positions at Simon & Schuster UK and Canongate Books (where she published the The Man Booker Prize for Fiction shortlisted A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki). She tweets @ailahahmed.

Debbie Taylor is Editor of the women writers’ magazine Mslexia, one of the most successful literary magazines in the UK.

Zoe Fairbairns, whose novels have been published by feminist presses including Virago, mainstream presses including Penguin, and radical presses including Five Leaves.  She teaches creative writing at City Lit, London.  Her website is at www.zoefairbairns.co.uk

Our panel of speakers will look at the gender issues around publishing, reflect on the achievements of the 80s and look at the options for effecting permanent change.  Come and join in the discussion.

Admission will be £5 (£4 cons.)
The Mechanics institute has a bar adjacent for refreshments.