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. Our books include a Michael Marks Pamphlet Award winner, a Telegraph Poetry Book of the Month, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and five Pamphlet Choice selections, Laurel and Polari First Book Prize longlistees, and a BAMB Readers’ Award shortlistee. 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 with be published in 2024.
Bad Betty Live
Bad Betty runs live poetry and music 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, launched at Rough Trade in autumn 2023, and is set to return in 2024. These evening events include poetry and music from local, national and international acts, preceded by an afternoon poetry masterclass from one of the performing acts.
In 2023, we also launched outreach series Bad Ideas Club: a programme of free workshop and open mic events taking place in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Dudley, Mansfield and Wolverhampton in partnership with poets and arts facilitators, Sophie Sparham and Casey Bailey.