Yes, we need you. And your financial support.
Verity La was established in 2010 as a writer-run initiative. We publish some of the best writers in the country, alongside many new and exciting voices. All those involved volunteer their time because they’re committed to Verity La’s core mission: maximising a diversity of literary voices in Australia and helping readers connect with brave new writers.
We’re proud to still be going strong and thrilled at the quality of work we are able to publish. However, a core issue for us is lack of payment for writers. Exposure is important, but so is adequate financial remuneration — if we want literature to flourish, writers need to receive an income from their labour.
But as we all know, creating a sustainable economy around literature is challenging, if not near impossible. Government funding of the arts in Australia is currently in crisis and literature does not tend to attract philanthropic support.
So, we’re looking for supporters. Not subscribers (all our content will remain free to read online) — but supporters.
We publish up to 100 poems, stories, reviews and artworks each year. We are aiming to pay $50 for each contribution, which means we need to raise $5000 annually. (The editorial team will continue to operate on a voluntary basis, but if there is any money remaining after paying our writers, we’ll be buying each of our editors a well-deserved bottle of something delicious at Christmas!)
We aim to start paying contributors at the start of publication in 2017.
Can you help us? Either by donating and/or spreading the word? Our campaign is run through the Australian Cultural Fund and all donations are fully tax deductible. Our supporters’ names (unless they wish to remain anonymous) will be published on our website, and supporter and campaign updates will be publicised via our Facebook and on Twitter @VerityLa.
We hope that by supporting Verity La you will feel closer to the journal and its creative community. We believe that by helping us you will be making a significant contribution to the strength and diversity of Australian literature.
Regards,
Michele Seminara
Managing Editor (on behalf of the editorial team)
IMPORTANT: The payment of writers is such a critical issue for us that should we not be able to raise sufficient funds by December 2016 we will have to give serious consideration about whether to continue publishing the journal beyond next year. So please DONATE to keep Verity La going! Share our flier, tweet us, like us and generally spruik the bejeezus out of us. The creative arts will (for once!) be the winner.