Literature Wales
Literature Wales, formerly named the Academi, is the Welsh national literature promotion agency and society of writers, existing to promote
History
The Academi was initially formed as a
The Academi has been constitutionally independent since 1978. It took on an enlarged role in 1998 when it was reformed as a single organisation operating through two languages, and won the Arts Council of Wales's franchise to provide the national literature support service for Wales.
On 1 April 2011, the Academi changed its title to Literature Wales, simultaneously merging with the writers' centre Tŷ Newydd.[3]
Activities
Literature Wales operates the "Inspiring Communities" scheme, which facilitates and helps to fund the placement of writers in schools, interest groups and organisations across Wales for literary lectures, discussions and workshops. It also administers the
Following a lottery grant from the Arts Council of Wales, Literature Wales produced The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales (published by University of Wales Press in 2008). The encyclopaedia was published in both Welsh and English and aims to combine the coverage of a gazetteer and biographical dictionary with the authority of a historical dictionary and the utility of a guide book.
Literature Wales's website provides a service as a guide to literary activity in Wales and beyond, including a database of all known writers, funding bodies, writers’ groups, publishers and periodicals currently active in Wales, listings of current poetry and story writing competitions and details of opportunities for writers. It also offers advice on getting published and publishing in general, as well as providing information on the other literature bodies and organisations in Wales.
Controversy
The organisation of the awards presentation of the Academi's Wales Book of the Year competition 2008 was criticised after then Culture Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas announced the wrong winner, although it was a simple mistake.[4]
Literature Wales has campaigned against the Welsh Journals Online project of the National Library of Wales because it argues that authors should be paid in return for permission to allow their material to be digitised.[5]
Organisation
As a registered charity, Literature Wales is funded from public sources (largely the Arts Council of Wales, local authorities and a number of trusts), from members' subscriptions and to a lesser degree, from trading and literary activity. As of October 2022, Tŷ Newydd in Llanystumdwy North Wales was made headquarters of the organisation, expanding its roots in Gwynedd with an office also in Cardiff, sited at the Wales Millennium Centre.
In 2011, Lleucu Siencyn replaced poet and author Peter Finch as Literature Wales's chief executive.[6]
In 2022, Leusa Llewelyn and Claire Furlong replaced Lleucu Siencyn as chief executives. [7]
References
- ^ "Official website". Archived from the original on 22 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-7083-1383-3.
- ^ Welsh Icons: "Academi and Tŷ Newydd join to create Literature Wales" Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ BBC NEWS | Wales |Wrong winner book event defended
- ^ "BBC News | Wales | Writers' digital row with Library". Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2008.
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15650494 Archived 16 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 14 January 2012)
- ^ https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-news/literature-wales-appoints-two-new-chief-executive-officers/ Archived 8 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 8 November 2022)