The UK-based publisher Comma Press is looking for European partners for a project to be submitted under the Culture Programme, Strand 1.2.1 (deadline: 1st October 2009). The project will establish a network of European publishers, festivals, writers and readers, with the remit of promoting, nurturing and celebrating the contemporary European short story, disseminating the form to new audiences, and supporting practitioners in the creation of original work.
The goal of the ESSN is to secure the future of the European short story as a viable and vibrant literary form, and support its use as a tool for intercultural dialogue and the sharing of diverse perspectives on European citizenship. Proposed activities include the facilitation of collaborations between short story writers to produce original work (both creative and critical), the translation and dissemination of this work (online and in hard-copy), a range of festival appearances, and the creation of a website dedicated to promoting European short fiction titles (operating as a portal to worldwide audiences).
We'd like to hear from partners who wish to bring innovative contributions to the development of this project. We particularly welcome expressions of interest from short story writers, publishers and literary festivals in Sweden, Spain, Croatia, Poland and The Netherlands.
Comma Press is an independent publisher based in Manchester, UK, specialising in short fiction. Comma publishes anthologies and single author collections by domestic authors and in translation. In 2007, Comma was a successful applicant to the 1.2.2 Translation Strand. More information at: http://www.commapress.co.ukExpressions of interest can be sent to Mr Jim Hinks: jim.hinks [at] commapress.co.uk (Replace [at] with @ when sending)