Bad Betty Press
Bad Betty is an award-winning independent publisher of new poetry, and curator of live literature events taking place across the UK.
London-born, Nottingham-based, Bad Betty Press was set up in 2017 by Amy Acre and Jake Wild Hall with the aim of showcasing exciting and risk-taking poetry, supporting poets’ artistic development and celebrating stories less often told.
We believe strongly in art’s capacity to challenge its own definition, to curve away from the norm, making space for more and varied voices. When an author joins our list, we engage creatively, ambitiously and supportively with their work: including close collaboration on editing and design, and a commitment to helping books find their readers through live and online performance.
Bad Betty won the Michael Marks Publisher’s Award in 2022, and was a regional finalist for the British Book Awards Small Press of the Year in 2023 and 2024.
Our books have won or been shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, the Michael Marks Award, the Laurel Prize, Polari First Book Prize and BAMB Readers’ Award, featured in the Guardian‘s Best Recent Poetry, and selected as a Telegraph Poetry Book of the Month, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and several times as Pamphlet Choice. See all books.
We’re grateful for the support of Arts Council England.
Little Betty
In 2023, we established pamphlet imprint Little Betty with editors Anja Konig and Gboyega Odubanjo, whose inaugural list of pamphlets were published in 2024. We’re continuing the imprint in 2025, with Anja Konig and Vanessa Kisuule currently selecting books for Little Betty’s second list. See Little Betty.
Bad Betty Live
We run live poetry events across the UK, partnering with arts organisations including Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, National Centre for Writing, I Am Loud, Nymphs & Thugs, Raise the Bar, Derby Poetry Festival, Rich Mix and many more.
Our home event, Bad Betty Live Nottingham, takes place at Peggy’s Skylight in Hockley, and includes poetry and music from local, national and international artists, preceded by an afternoon masterclass led by one of the performing acts.
In 2023, we launched Bad Ideas Club: a programme of free writing workshops in Nottinghamshire and West Midlands libraries, led by Sophie Sparham and Casey Bailey. See our current events calender.