Jacaranda Books has announced an official partnership with The London Library #Twentyin2020 initiative.
The initiative, in collaboration with Words of Colour, is a programme that aims to publish 20 works by black British writers in the year 2020.
The publishing company has raised £25k to help publish the works of the writers.
Philip Marshall, director of the London Library, said: “We are keen to develop programmes more specifically focused on supporting diversity.”
A major survey of UK’s publishing workforce found that ‘significant progress needed to be made’ after it was revealed that only 11.6% of respondents identified themselves as BAME.
Mr Marshall added: “Black writers have so much to offer but they have often struggled to get publishing recognition they deserve – the 2020 project will help make a real difference for them.”
The library hopes to become the literary home of a new generation of black British writing that host a series of events by all authors playing a part in this project by providing them with two years of free membership within the library.
Twenty in 2020 author Olivia Danso said: “I feel really honoured to become a member of the London Library, which has been a safe haven for so many great British writers in our history. I’m especially grateful to Jacaranda for the opportunity, and as a long-time lover of libraries, the bookworm in me is thrilled!”
The initiative launched will see 20 black writers published over a period of the year and will include poetry, fiction and non-fiction books. The organisers of the campaign hope to inspire a new cohort of publishing professionals in the near future.
Feature image: © Bill Johnson (cc-by-sa/2.0)
