18/09/2025
The announcement of Meanjin Publishing’s closure is a profound loss for Australia’s literary and cultural landscape.
For more than 80 years, Meanjin has been a place where ideas, stories, and voices, especially those too often pushed to the margins could find a home.
The value of Meanjin was never just about numbers on a balance sheet. Literature and publishing are not simply commodities. They are cultural lifelines, nurturing empathy, sparking dialogue, and widening the frame of who gets to be heard.
It’s devastating to see such an institution closed at a time when diverse voices are needed more than ever.
On a personal note, I feel incredibly grateful to have contributed to Meanjin’s legacy as the designer of the Winter 2025 edition. To have played even a small part in its history is something I will carry with pride. Working with the team of Esther Anatolitis and Eli McLean was an absolute delight. (Cover design by Stephen Banham from Letterbox)
As we farewell Meanjin, it feels more important than ever to support independent publishers and journals who continue to champion diverse voices and new writing. Here’s just a few to follow, read, and support:
- Overland
- Southerly
- The Suburban Review
- Australian Poetry Journal
Independent publishing needs our readership and advocacy to survive.
