Changing who gets to be a writer
Through programmes like the London Writers Awards , our regular programme of workshops and masterclasses and partnerships across London, we provide the support, skills, and platforms that talented writers need to thrive.
We do not just develop individual writers. We are working to change who gets to be a writer in the first place. By removing barriers and creating new pathways, we are helping build a literary world where talent matters more than your background or connections.
We often work in partnership to develop programmes and projects that support writer development, advocate for writers, and make change in communities.
Who we are here for
We consider writers currently underrepresented in publishing to be:
- Black, Asian or Global Majority (Black, Indigenous and people of colour)
- D/deaf and disabled
- LGBTQIA+
- Working class upbringing
- On a low income. (This includes writers whose income is through benefits, are paid on/ below the London Living Wage hourly rate, and whose savings do not exceed the amount needed to pay for three months of living costs e.g. rent, gas, electricity and food.)
How we work
We work across London and nationally while staying rooted in Lewisham.
Our programmes serve writers from all 32 boroughs, but the community connections we hold in Deptford and Lewisham inform what we do.
London covers a vast geographical area and each borough has its own character and community. By being embedded in one London borough, we can develop meaningful relationships and partnerships with writers, communities, arts and environmental organisations, schools and universities. Lewisham is our testing ground for new ideas. When we develop a new programme or approach in partnership with local people and communities, we can share what works with organisations across London and beyond. This model means innovation stays connected to real community needs.
Our Lewisham, Borough of Literature campaign shows how this works in practice. By making Lewisham the first Borough of Literature, we will demonstrate what is possible when communities and writers are genuinely supported. The result will be a template that other London boroughs and geographical areas can adapt.
We also work at a national level. Our online events are open to anyone who is interested. Our call outs and commissions are often open to writers around the UK. We collaborate with partners like the Wellcome Collection and CRIPtic Arts on national writer development programmes such as the Wellcome Collection Non-Fiction Awards and Disabled Poets Prize.
Development
We run programmes, events and commissions that support writers to develop their craft and build a career as a writer. This includes support with writing technique as well as introductions to editors, agents and publishers.
Advocacy
We commission change-making research addressing the inequality we see in the literature industry. This research informs the projects and programmes we develop.
Community
We work within our local community and for our local community. Working often in collaboration with other local organisations, we listen to what the people living in Deptford and Lewisham need. We run programmes for young people, and elders. Deptford Literature Festival and our Borough of Literature campaign are current projects run for our community.
