Scribble launches Art for Wildlife, companies donate to bushfire relief
A number of book industry companies are raising funds for bushfire relief.
Scribble publisher Miriam Rosenbloom has set up Art for Wildlife, an online store selling open-edition prints by illustrators including Shaun Tan, Sophie Beer and Marc Martin. Launched on 1 February, the year-long campaign will see six new artworks added to the catalogue on the first day of each month. Each print retails at $35, and all proceeds (less printing and postage costs) will be donated to Seed Indigenous Climate Youth Network and Bush Heritage.
Rosenbloom said: ‘Art for Wildlife is an attempt to channel our feelings of helplessness and despair into action and engagement. The long-term ecological impact of the fires will clearly be devastating and we hope this project can raise awareness and financial support for these fantastic organisations doing such important work.’
Also in response to the crisis, Hachette Australia has acquired children’s picture book The Bushfire Book: How to Be Aware and Prepare (Polly Marsden, illus by Chris Nixon) to be published in September, with a percentage of proceeds to be donated to the Red Cross Bushfire Relief fund. The book aims to teach children how to cope with the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with the unprecedented national disaster, and to give them tools to feel more empowered and prepared.
Hachette Australia head of children’s Jeanmarie Morosin said: ‘Here at Hachette we believe it is important to publish books that can help Australian children understand what these natural disasters mean and how to cope in such tragic times. I am incredibly proud to be work with Polly and Chris to publish such an essential resource at such a critical time.’
Meanwhile, Dymocks Childrens Charities (DCC) has launched a national Bushfires Appeal to fund new books for students, schools and communities impacted by bushfires across the country. Launched on 12 January, the appeal has already raised over $155,000 and DCC will double the value raised to deliver $310,000 worth of books to children in bushfire-affected communities. Every store in the Dymocks network is participating, with community fundraising by staff and customers via in-store donation boxes and one dollar round-up on purchases.
So far, DCC has already provided immediate assistance to children in 14 communities with over $70,000 worth of books for back-to-school packs. It will continue to provide support for students returning to school and will restock school libraries that have been destroyed or damaged as a result of the fires.
Pantera Press has also donated $10,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Relief fund, and pledged to match staff and author donations to any organisations and charities in support of bushfire relief. As previously reported by Books+Publishing, the Children’s Book Council of Australia and the Little Bookroom are organising book drives for bushfire-affected children, and hundreds of authors, illustrators and publishing professionals raised around $500,000 as part of the #AuthorsForFireys campaign.
Image credit: Sophie Beer, ‘Protect and Respect’
Category: Junior Local news
