Symposium Research Jay Stelling I’ve chosen to research three of the attendees to prepare for a discussion with them: Nobrow (specifically Flying Eye Books), Anorak and Pan Macmillan. Anorak is a children’s magazine and Flying Eye Books and Macmillan Kids are publishers of children’s books. This is the audience I intend to target with my illustration, so speaking to companies who publish material for this audience is relevant to my practice. I hope to network with them, give them some little gifts (hopefully a small doll and a card/illustrated box) and ask them some questions that will help me to establish how we could work together in the future.
• Established 2008 by Sam Arthur and Alex Spiro. • House team: 14 people • Location: 27 Westgate Street London, United Kingdom
• Values: great design, groundbreaking art and narrative, luscious production values and environmental consciousness • Intention: ‘the very best in visual publishing, in whatever format, in whichever medium and to whichever point on the globe.’ • USP: innovative and original – ‘playing with’ concepts, narratives, genres, formats, printing methods, production processes.
• Established 2013 • Imprint of Nobrow • Location: 27 Westgate Street London, United Kingdom
• Subject: Children’s storytelling and non-fiction. • USP: International company representing over eight nationalities across two offices, acquire and translate some of the best children’s publishing from around the world, for the enjoyment of English speaking audiences everywhere. • Intention: ‘whatever the project, whatever the medium, genre, or format, Flying Eye Books will take your children’s eyes on a journey of wonder !’
What I Need to Know • Have they/would they ever use 3D puppet illustrations? • From their submissions page: Even if it is something we have never done before, if you think your project is in line with our core values as a publisher, submit whatever you want! • Their office is in London. Is it beneficial for UK illustrators work in London (more events, more opportunities and meetings)?
• Established 2006 • Independent kids publishing house. The ‘happy mag for kids’ aimed at boys and girls aged between 6 and 12 years old. • Designed to be collected, kept, handed down and revisited. • Intention: imagination, creativity and learning. Passion for words and images that challenge and stimulate.
What I Need To Know • How do they ‘find’ illustrators for the issues? Do illustrators come to them or do they approach illustrators? • How do they decide what is appropriate/likable for the audience? Do they have focus groups? • What are their ambitions for the future? Do they plan to have more events?
• Location: 20 New Wharf Rd, Kings Cross, London N1 9RR • Pan Macmillan UK is one of the largest general book publishers in the UK, with imprints including Macmillan, Mantle, Pan, Picador, Boxtree, Sidgwick & Jackson, Bello, Tor, Kingfisher, Macmillan Children's Books, Two Hoots, Bluebird, Campbell Books, Macmillan New Writing and Macmillan Digital Audio.
What I Need To Know • How to submit. • What are they looking for? What is successful/in trend at the moment and what does the audience want to see? • How much money does the artist get? • Where are Macmillan books sold? (which bookshops, where in the world)
• Established 2016 • Imprint of Pan Macmillan • Intention: Creating exceptional illustrated books for all ages, not
limited by boundaries of style,
format or content. Paying attention not just to the words, pictures and design, but also to the way each book is printed and bound, we aim to make beautiful, characterful books to be loved and read again and again.
What I Need To Know • Why did they create an imprint label? A new company – how many books have they published so far? Has there been any struggles in setting this up? Getting established, building a repertoire. • Why submit to Two Hoots and not another publisher? • How many people work for Two Hoots? What jobs are involved?