We’re here, we’re queer, and…we love books.
Founded in 2023, Faerie Press is a LGBTQIA- run press, specialising in children’s books. Our aim is to create a more inclusive, diverse publishing world by creating a space for marginalised voices to be heard.
Our Story✨
Faerie Press started as Pathways NI: a project bringing together a group of queer teens and 20-somethings to break into the publishing industry in Northern Ireland. In January 2023, we began our journey with six months of remote study, gaining insight from experts in everything from graphic novels to legal rights. The following July, we had our incredible week-long residential in Belfast, which was the first time we were all able to meet in person. From there, everything seemed to fall into place, and we finally were able to start crafting our brand identity.
Within the year, we’re making history as the first LGBTQIA+ children’s publishing press on the island of Ireland.
Our Mission✨
There’s no one like us, and there’s no one like you, which is why we believe in our mission: for all children and young people to have access to books that are inclusive of their lives and experiences.
In other words, we know representation matters. In 2023, 1 in 10 youths aged 17–18 in Ireland identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, each with their own relationship with themselves and their identity, and each with a unique story to tell. Stories of love, of hardship, of freedom, of joy; we want to show every colour of the queer experience.
While we can’t tell every story, we believe in the importance of visibility as a tool for understanding, for those both inside and outside the community. As a children’s publishing press, we know the power stories can have, especially for young people. Since the dawn of time, people have used stories to teach lessons, to nurture empathy, and to inspire creativity. We want to tell queer stories, by queer people, for everyone.
Our Future✨
It won’t be an easy road. It’s been less than a decade since equal marriage was enforced in Ireland, and a meagre four years since its legalisation in Northern Ireland. We know there’s a long way to go, but we’ve received an overwhelming amount of support from inspiring queer creatives, incredible industry allies, and amazing friends across the island of Ireland and the UK. We know we can do it, and we will.
We’d love for you to join us on our journey in making history. If you’d like to tell your story, submissions for our first anthology on the “Inner Child" are open until 5th February 2024. Find out more at: www.faeriepress.com.
From our found family here at Faerie Press: thank you. 🧚