The Cultural Role and Value of England's Independent Bookshops, a new report by the Booksellers Association of the U.K. & Ireland, commissioned by Arts Council England, has revealed that England's indies are "a cultural powerhouse, with a deep and meaningful reach into numerous communities across the length and breadth of the country."
The study surveyed 163 bookshops to better understand the role they play in enriching the cultural lives of their communities and the extent to which their work helps with the delivery of ACE's Let's Create strategy. The findings will be used by the BA, ACE, and indies to identify opportunities for working more closely together in future, to the benefit of booksellers.
Among its wide-ranging results, the survey found that 92% of indies run activities and events for their local communities; 60% offer book/reading clubs; 48% organize book fairs at schools; 45% arrange for authors to visit local schools; 27% organize local literary festivals; and 56% feature events in partnership with local arts and community organizations.
In addition to the online survey, a series of in-depth interviews ("deep dives") were conducted with 26 bookshops to explore themes from the survey, looking at their role in the cultural life of their communities, as well as related enablers and barriers. Book club members were also interviewed, and a small number of discussions were conducted with library officials to gain closer insight into particular cultural and community collaboration with local bookshops.
One of the booksellers highlighted in the report's deep dives was the Heath Bookshop in Birmingham, which launched a literature and music festival last April in partnership with the Hare and Hounds pub. Co-owner Claire Dawes said: "We've been so well supported here at The Heath Bookshop from the day we opened, and this festival is part of us giving something to the King's Heath community." Co-owner Catherine Gales added: "So many of the events will be something people haven't seen before, and I hope people will be inspired by them... there is something special about having that close contact with musicians and authors... You feel inspired by them."
Several interviewees, including Yellow-Lighted Bookshop in Gloucestershire and DRAKE The Bookshop in Stockton-on-Tees, mentioned helping local schools. "From the Deep dive interviews as well as the survey it was strongly evident how many Indies are ardent about the power of school-bookshop collaborations to help improve the literacy skills and cultural lives of children," the report noted.
"We have been delighted to work on this major research piece commissioned by Arts Council England," BA managing director Meryl Halls said. "What the research--based on an impressive +20% response rate from indie booksellers in England--showed was much that we already knew, but did not have evidenced data to illustrate. Building on the work we did in 2021 with Manchester Met University, this research puts some significant meat on the bones."
James Urquhart, ACE interim director, literature, commented: "I greatly welcome the report and the picture it paints of the broad range of events and opportunities for participation that booksellers across England are providing to local and diverse communities. The findings in this report present clear evidence of the many ways in which the Indie Bookshop sector actively supports communities, culture and creativity in ways that strongly align to our strategy; and its conclusion suggests ways in which the Arts Council may work with the BA and indies to enhance this offer further."
The survey's data is examined under two main sections. Part 1 explores the extent and ways indies contribute to the cultural and social life of their communities. Part 2 looks at the enablers and barriers to this contribution. A range of social contributions by indies are highlighted by the data, including:
- Indies are skilled in audience creation, enriching the cultural lives of varied communities
- Indies offer creativity and innovations in combating social isolation and loneliness
- Indies provide vital support for authors and illustrators
- Indies support the needs of diverse and sometimes historically marginalized groups
- Indies play a pivotal role in combating high street and town center decline.
"The picture which emerges from this research gives powerful evidence of the scale, and popularity of cultural activities delivered by England's independent bookshops," the survey noted in its conclusion. "It is not an overstatement to say that the sector is a cultural powerhouse, with a deep and meaningful reach into numerous communities across the length and breadth of the country. This role is often echoed by the wider contribution of high street bookshops in general, including Waterstones, Foyles, and Blackwell's, who play an important role in the cultural enrichment of the communities they operate in. This means in practice that accessibility to culture is greatly enhanced and strengthened through the commitment, dedication, and expertise of England's high street bookshops in general....
"A sincere hope is that this report and in particular the range of best practices identified will contribute to strengthening the approaches of a wider cohort of indies in England and also across the BA's wider membership in Scotland, Wales and across the island of Ireland."
The BA's Halls commented: "I'd like to congratulate our bookseller members for the passion and dedication they bring to their jobs and their shops, and their high streets. They are the hard-working engine of the book industry, and we are glad to be able to shine a light on all their achievements--knowing that the indie contribution is echoed across the sector, and amplified by the same work across the specialist bookselling chains."