Small presses from across the UK and Isle of Ireland are continuing to flourish despite the increase in costs of heating, printing and distribution, by delivering hands-on author care and community-building initiatives.
The British Book Awards 2023 Small Press of the Year, sponsored by CPI Books, celebrates the independent presses delivering diverse, innovative and risk-taking publishing.
In total there are 48 small presses listed across nine different regions and countries, including nine in London, six in both Scotland and South-East England, five in Wales, North England, South-West England and the Midlands, four in the Isle of Ireland and three in East England.
The presses will compete to win their region first, before contending for the overall prize, which will beannounced at The British Book Awards winner ceremony at Grosvenor House on Monday 15th May 2023. The overall Small Press winner will also compete to be crowned Independent Publisher of the Year.
London remains the dominant region with nine finalists, including 2021 joint winners Boldwood Books and Magic Cat Publishing.
Wales and the Isle of Ireland both also have strong contingents with four and five finalists respectively, including the first ever entry from a Welsh language press, Y Lolfa.
Wales
- Graffeg
- Broken Sleep Books
- Parthian Books
- Y Lolfa
- Firefly Press
East England
- SRL Publishing
- Galley Beggar Press
- Dedalus
Isle of Ireland
- Little Island Books
- Banshee Press
- The Lilliput Press
- New Island Books
London
- Boldwood Books
- Fitzcarraldo Editions
- Unbound
- Magic Cat Publishing
- Cipher Press
- Elliott & Thompson
- Mensch Publishing
- Renard Press
- Muswell Press
Midlands
- Sweet Cherry
- Henson Editorial Services and North Staffordshire Press
- Malcolm Down and Sarah Grace Publishing
- Victorina Press
- Bad Betty Press
North England
- Bluemoose Books
- Fly on the Wall Press
- UCLan Publishing
- Carcanet Press
- Saraband
Scotland
- 404 Ink
- Charco Press
- Scottish Mountaineering Press
- The Wee Book Company
- Scotland Street Press
- Rymour Books
South-East England
- David Fickling Books
- Guppy Publishing
- Duckworth Books
- September Publishing
- Praspar Press
- Author In Me
South-West England
- PG Online / ClearRevise
- BOTH Press
- Ad Hoc Fiction
- Little Toller Books
- From You to Me
Scotland and South-East England are now vying for supremacy with six finalists each, whilst South-West England remains as a regional hotspot.
Many of 2022’s biggest books, including prize-winning and shortlisted titles, came from the small press finalists, including Slow Down and Be Here Now by LauraBrand and Freya Hartas (Magic Cat Publishing – London); Jamie Smart’s Bunny vs Monkey series (David Fickling Books – South-East England); After Sappho by debut novelist Selby Wynn Schwartz (Galley Beggar Press – East England), longlisted for the Booker Prize; Goshawk Summer byJames Aldred (Elliott & Thompson – London), winner of the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing; Louise Finch’s Carnegie-longlisted debut The Eternal Return of Clara Hart (Little IslandBooks – Isle of Ireland); The Melting Pot by Maggie Ogunbanwo (Graffeg – Wales); brother. do. you. you. love. me byManni and Reuben Coe (Little Toller Books – South-West); The Room in the Attic by Louise Douglas (Boldwood Books – London) and You Matter by Delia Smith (Mensch Publishing– London).
Small presses specialising in poetry have remained popular this year, with strong representation among the finalists including Broken Sleep Books (Wales), Bad Betty Press (Midlands) and Carcanet Press (North England).
Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of the judges for The British Book Awards, says: “Whether they were staking their claim to the main stream or mining their niches, these small press finalists responded magnificently to this year’s challenges, reporting another year of exceptional sales and profit growth in the face of Brexit and escalating running costs. These publishers are reaping the rewards from dedicated and often inspirational publishing, hands-on author care and community building,showing that even in a toughened climate, grass-roots book-making is alive and well.”
Sponsored by CPI Group, CPI Books’ m.d. Tanya Dunbar comments: “We are delighted to besponsoring this award in its fifth year. The high quality of entries received reflects the strength, passionand resilience of the small presses in the UK, particularly impressive during a year with such challenging market conditions. Congratulations to all the regional and country finalist publishers.”
The regional and country winners of the Small Press of the Year award will be announced on Wednesday 15th March
2023; the overall winner will be revealed during The British Book Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House on Monday 15th May 2023.
