National Poetry Day 2024 ~ Landmark news from Candlestick Press !

 

** A MILLION PAMPHLETS SOLD **

Candlestick Press
October 2024

Candlestick Press, the Nottingham-based independent publisher of mini-anthologies in the Ten Poems about series, is celebrating the achievement of its millionth pamphlet sale – a major landmark that reflects recent expansion into overseas territories such as Australia and New Zealand and a fast-growing domestic network encompassing everything from garden centres to art galleries. 

Candlestick is marking this milestone with a number of celebrations, including Ten Poems of Light – a pamphlet publishing in October (cover illustration by Rebecca Vincent) which contains the winning poems in a recent competition, alongside a special commission by poet Carole Bromley. A donation from each sale of Ten Poems of Light will be made to Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Indeed, Candlestick makes regular donations to a large number of charities, each chosen to reflect a pamphlet’s particular theme. Over £320,000 has been donated to date, to organisations ranging from Our Dementia Choir to Surfers Against Sewage, and from Friends of the Elderly to Woodland Trust.

Publisher Di Slaney reflects on Candlestick’s 16-year journey:

“Selling one million pamphlets means that at least ten million poems have been read – something that makes us very happy. If we have an overall mission, it’s to bring poetry to people who might not otherwise read it. Our themed selections are designed to appeal to popular enthusiasms – everything from baking to gardening and trains to bees. Our aim is to be as inclusive as possible and to offer something that works equally well as a gift and as a replacement for a greetings card.”

Candlestick’s current range comprises over 120 titles, featuring poems by more than 750 poets from all over the world and showcasing the work of a large number of contemporary artists and printmakers.

For Candlestick Press and the uniquely appealing ‘instead of a card’ format, the future is certainly very bright indeed.

About Candlestick

Candlestick is an independent press publishing sumptuously produced poetry pamphlets that serve as a wonderful alternative to a greetings card, with matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for a personal message. Their subjects include Mountains, Clouds, Walking, Birds, Wine and Happiness.

Our pamphlets are stocked by chain and independent bookshops, galleries, museums and garden centres nationwide and are available to order online.

We’ve been publishing poetry pamphlets since 2008 not only for people who already love poetry, but also for those who will love it but perhaps don’t know that yet. Our ‘instead of a card’ pamphlets make an ideal alternative to a mainstream greetings card and are a small gift in their own right. They have matching envelopes and bookmarks left blank for your message, and are excellent companions on journeys or for a bedtime read. By supporting us, you help an independent press and our supported charities at the same time as treating yourselves, your friends and family to some wonderful poems.

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Jaffareadstoo has been extremely privileged to have been given the opportunity to read and review a variety of these beautiful poetry pamphlets. 

On National Poetry Day 2024, we send Candlestick Press our warmest congratulations on this amazing achievement. Here’s to the next million pamphlets being sold.