A poetry magazine that has been going for 30 years is aiming to increase its number of subscribers, and to avoid “less palatable options”. South magazine comes out twice a year, and is unsubsidised, non-profit-making, and run by a small management team of volunteers, assisted by reviewers and two guest editors.

It said: “No doubt all poetry magazines are now struggling with the after-effects of Covid and the very present rise in costs. At South we are actively pursuing ways to keep our heads above water financially and keep the magazine as a going concern. The best of these would be to simply increase our number of subscribers. This would enable us to avoid less palatable options such as: an increase in subscription fees, charging for submissions, requiring submitters to be subscribers and ending our live launch events.”

South was an early adopter of live readings to launch each issue. It features a profile in each edition of a poet who has featured in the magazine, along with 10 pages of their poems. Poems are submitted anonymously to its two selectors, who change with each issue.

South’s management team is Penny Dale, Pauline Howard, Peter Keeble, Anne Peterson, Chrissie Williams. They said: “Many established poets have found South a welcoming first step into publication and public readings. So, with Christmas coming up why not consider treating yourself to a year’s subscription to South, or making a present of it to a loved one? One year’s subscription at £12 gets you two editions of the magazine and over 60 pages of poems, reviews and commentary. The distinctive black and white covers aren’t bad, too.”

You can find more information about South here and on its Facebook page.