UK Arts Organisations
Regional contacts for UK Arts
The Arts Council of England
Through its Literature Department, the Arts Council of England provides
writers awards for authors who have had at least one book published
and support for translation schemes, publishing and education.
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/
Their Live Literature Network this has a Live Events listing
section. If you become a member, you can add your own event. Live
Literature Network is ‘a blanket term for a whole structure of support
of a diverse and evolving nature, aimed at all areas of the literature
business’.
http://www.liveliterature.net/events/.
Their Latest News page provides updates on the
world of literature
- You will be asked to log in but persist!
The Arts Council of Wales
Supports literary magazines and provides writers’ bursaries, with
particular support for children’s literature.
http://www.artswales.org/default.asp
Artsonline
Newly updated website providing news and events about UK arts. www.artsonline.com
Book Trust
At www.booktrust.org.uk a UK
organisation which promotes books, supports writers groups, awards literary
prizes and offers factsheets on Getting Published and Tracing
Copyright, and a directory of UK publishers. Also free information service
about books, authors and publishers. Phone mornings 020 8516 2977.
Book Trusted (Children's Books)
Useful and respected site with resources for young readers, including a
recommended list of children's books. www.booktrusted.com
British Council
This government-supported body is best-known for its activities
overseas, but in fact provides a great deal of information which is of
interest to writers. http://www.britishcouncil.org/
Their UK Literature Festivals provides a full listing, but this
is only as up to date as the information supplied by the individual
festival organizers.
Copyright Licensing Agency
CLA is the UK's Reproduction Rights Organisation.
It is responsible for looking after the interests of rights owners
over the copying of books, journals and periodicals. A non-profit making company,
it is owned by its members,
the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society and the Publishers Licensing
Society. www.cla.co.uk/index.html
This international agency is based in Berlin. You can find the agent
for your part of the world and download manuals explaining how the system
works.
Institute of Translation and Interpreting
Efficient UK site for organisation representing professional translators
and interpreters. http://www.iti.org.uk
The Library Association
The UK professional body for librarians and information managers
http://www.la-hq.org.uk/index.html
Lit -net
Literary website from the UK's West Midlands which offers writers a
load of information about events and some interesting links.
www.lit-net.org
National Association of Writers in Education
A professional association supporting creative writing of all genres
and in all educational settings throughout the UK. Directories
of Writers and Courses.
http://www.nawe.co.uk
National Literacy Trust
UK-based organisation which has campaigned since 1993 to improve
literacy standards across all age groups. Excellent research
information and details of the many initiatives the charity is currently
involved in.
www.literacytrust.org.uk. It also has a
National Reading Campaign
SMOG
reading level test online.
Nielsen Bookscan
UK bibliographic organisation, describing itself as 'the definitive
retail monitoring service for books', which shows UK bestseller lists on
its website.
http://www.acnielsen.com/news/asiapacific/au/2000/20000511.htm
The Poetry Society
Lively and well-presented UK site supporting poetry with 4,000 members
internationally and some thoughtful content. www.poetrysociety.org.uk
Public Lending Right Scheme
Under the United Kingdom's PLR Scheme authors receive payments from
government funds for the free borrowing of their books from public
libraries in the United Kingdom. To qualify for payment, authors must
apply to register their books.
Find out how to register and the statistical data generated by it on
trends in public borrowing. http://www.plr.uk.com/
Royal Literary Fund
Old-established British organisation which is using substantial new
funds from writers' estates for excellent new scheme offering grants to
published writers, who act as 'fellows' helping to improve students'
writing in higher education institutions. The fellows each have a page and contact details
on the website. www.rlf.org.uk
Scottish Arts Council
Government body for funding the arts in Scotland. Their well-organized
site offers a mass of information about the arts in Scotland,
including writers’ bursaries, fellowships and translation fellowships.
There are also lists of literary awards and literary magazines. Their site
at http://www.scottisharts.org.uk is
well worth visiting.
Society for Editors and Proofreaders
UK organisation which represents staff and freelance editors and
proofreaders through focusing on maintaining high professional standards
and running well-regarded training courses.
http://www.sfep.org.uk
Society of Indexers
British professional body representing indexers. The site at http://www.indexers.org.uk
gives useful FAQs about indexing and a professionally-respected course.
Writers, Artists & their Copyright (WATCH)
Useful site which offers
facility to search for copyright holders or
contacts for authors and artists whose archives are in libraries and
archives in North America and the UK. www.watch-file.com
Welsh Books Council
Supports Welsh writing and literature. Their editorial department
provides Welsh writers and writers in Welsh with advice on how to get
their manuscripts published. When last visited there was little to see, as
the site was in the process of being rebuilt.
http://www.aber.ac.uk/~wbcwww/home.html
