The small press poetry publisher, Eyewear, is appealing to “the reading public” to help it raise  £500,000 to secure its future for the next 10 years.

Eyewear received a big funding blow earlier this year when it lost its £30,000 annual cash support from a private backer. Eyewear’s Todd Swift reacted by setting up a crowdfunding campaign. Now he says: “This is a war to save hardcover quality small press publishing at a time when ebooks, free digital publication, self-publishing, and vanity publishing, with diminishing support from government sources, means fewer truly indie presses can easily survive in a tough marketplace.”    

Swift is asking for new backers, “those who love to own and collect books that look and feel good, for £500,000 - this is to keep us going over the next 10 years (2015-2025). The only way for a press to grow and attract authors and poets is to offer long-term financial stability, proper advances, and assurance that their books will have the best professional PR. All those who give £100 or more become members of the Eyewear Club and will receive our next 12 books for free. Obviously, our goal is very ambitious, and, whatever we receive will be used to publish our ongoing list of titles, which includes leading and emerging poets and writers.”

He added: “If you can't donate, we understand.  Money is tight.  But you can spread the word.  Or buy a book of ours. Or if you don't like our press, support another.” You can read more here 

Background: Publisher comes out fighting after losing funding