ACE outlines plans to support independent bookshops

England’s independent bookshops can play an important role in helping meet the government’s ambition of improving opportunities for all children and ensuring that the arts sit at the centre of the education system, Arts Council England (ACE) has said.

Responding to the publication of a report it commissioned, carried out by the Bookseller Association, ACE said the findings present clear evidence of the many ways in which the "indie bookshop" sector actively supports communities, culture and creativity in ways that strongly align with its own Let's Create strategy

Its findings suggest a need for additional government support and investment, including actively enabling school libraries in England to build links with independent bookshops through a dedicated element of grant funding, which can only be spent at ‘bricks and mortar’ bookshops or at indie-supporting online platforms.

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The report also recommends that any reform of business rates incorporate a system of ‘cultural amenity’ reliefs and reductions for the bookshop sector.

In his response to the report, James Urquhart, Interim Director of Literature at ACE, said the survey of 163 indie bookshops gave a strong impression of the sector's “vitality and diversity,” with 61% running book clubs and 29% delivering broader arts and crafts events for adults and children, “reflecting their role as community hubs”.

ACE commissioned the research in late 2023 in part to understand more detail about the role that the indies could play in delivering its Let’s Create Strategy.

Urquhart said, “We have had a new government whose stated missions of kickstarting economic growth and reducing barriers to opportunity resonate with the findings of this report.”

He pledged that ACE would work with the BA to develop "a compelling case to government" around the value that indies offer to their local communities, business sectors and writers "seeking an audience for the excellence of their work".

He continued, “The entrepreneurial approach of many indie founders and owners makes their bookshops a strong and welcome presence on high streets across the country, and the evidence here of how many are involved in civic and community projects is compelling.”

Reversal in fortunes

From a low point in December 2016, when the number of independent bookshops in England fell to 604, recent years have seen a reversal in fortunes for the sector, with the total at the start of 2024 standing at 755.

Survey findings indicate that nearly half of respondents organised more than 20 events per year and that three-quarters of all events held were free of charge. The figures showed that 92% of respondents programmed author events, while 45% organised author events at local schools and 56% donated books to primary school libraries.

Two in five held storytelling activities, and nearly the same number ran writing or creative workshops. BA's research does not provide data on the demographic composition of audiences and participants at events and activities, instead suggesting it as a possible topic for further study.

More than 90% of respondents said they were motivated to run events and activities to benefit the community, and the same number said they were encouraged to raise their businesses' profile. More than two-thirds said it contributed revenue to their business, while over three-fifths said it helped their high street.

The cost of running events and activities was found to be “overwhelmingly” borne by bookshops or members of their local communities. Over 70% of indies said they wanted more support from publishers to host events, and the same amount called for straightforward access to grants and funding to support the costs of running events and activities.

Over 40% of respondents said they would run more events if grants were available to convert or improve their facilities, with 24% calling for grants to improve physical accessibility and 36% suggesting grants to improve remote social accessibility.

Other possibilities offered during deep dive interviews with bookshop owners include providing access to small pots of funding for short project-based secondment to enable the development of project plans and active links with potential partners across the cultural sector as well as funding targeted at "indie hotspots" where shops could form a consortia to develop and deliver literary festivals.

The research reveals the mixed experiences of independent bookshops in applying for grants and funding, with 25% reporting that they had successfully applied for grants or public funding and felt comfortable about the process.

The report called for ACE to improve the responsiveness of grant application processes and make its terminology more accessible, a criticism Urquhart said that the funding body “recognised”.

In its response, ACE said it is committed to simplifying and improving its application processes and will work with the BA to “explore how our funding programmes can be made more visible and accessible to booksellers”.