Announcing Literature Wales and Folding Rock Partnership

Literature Wales and Folding Rock are excited to be teaming up to collaborate on Wales’ newest literary magazine’s sixth edition, to be published in October 2026, to celebrate five years of Representing Wales.

Representing Wales is Literature Wales’ flagship writer development programme, which each year invites writers who feel that they are under-represented in the literature sector in Wales to apply to join the cohort. The programme includes a financial award, one-to-one mentoring, face to face and online workshops and talks, as well as opportunities to network, make new contacts and build relationships with other writers and the literature and publishing industry in Wales and beyond.

After the 12-month programme, Literature Wales continue to work with the cohort and with other partners to make sure that they receive the support and advice they need to reach their long-term literary goals.

Since its inception in 2020, 68 writers have participated in Representing Wales with alumni going on to establish thriving careers. For this special edition, all 68 alumni will be invited to submit their best work, whether fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry in either English or Welsh – on any theme or subject to be considered for publication. We are grateful to Poetry Wales for their collaboration so that poetry can feature, for one edition only, in this important showcase.

Robert Harries, Fiction and Production Editor at Folding Rock says:  “All at Folding Rock are absolutely delighted to announce this partnership with Literature Wales and their Representing Wales programme. In our first year of existence, we’ve already benefitted hugely from the initiative by publishing a handful of its alumni, from Anthony Shapland and Durre Shahwar in our inaugural edition to Jade E. Bradford and Rosy Adams in our most recent. Representing Wales is clearly a superlative pipeline of talent discovery and development for the Welsh literary ecosystem, and we’re so proud that Folding Rock is able to help celebrate it via this landmark publication – one we hope will serve as a worthy culmination and encapsulation of its first half-decade. We would also like to extend our warmest gratitude to Zoë Brigley, Poetry Wales, and Folding Rock contributing editor Alys Conran for lending us their wisdom and expertise, which for the first time will enable us to publish both poetry and Welsh-language work in this special issue. All that remains to say is: we can’t wait to get started, and here’s to another five years!”

Jade E. Bradford, Representing Wales Alumni and Issue 004 Folding Rock Contributor:  “The kindness and support I received from everyone at Literature Wales during my time on Representing Wales transformed my mindset from timidly thinking about writing to actively pursuing a career as a writer. I’ve had a few significant successes since taking part, but most recently I was delighted that my short story, Falling Down was published in Folding Rock issue 004. So naturally, I’m more than excited to find out what a partnership between Representing Wales and a quality, Wales-focused literary engine like Folding Rock, can produce. It’s going to be great!”

Other events will also feature during 2026 to celebrate the impact and success of Representing Wales.

Representing Wales is funded by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Wales.