Meanjin literary journal to close on ‘financial grounds’

Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) has withdrawn funding to quarterly literary journal Meanjin, forcing the journal to close.

In a statement, Melbourne University professor and MUP chair, Warren Bebbington, said, ‘This is a matter of deep regret for all at MUP, as Meanjin has reached its 85th year of a distinguished history, the past 17 years as an MUP imprint. The decision was made on purely financial grounds, the MUP board having found it no longer viable to produce the magazine ongoing. The two part-time staff of Meanjin were not involved in the decision, which led to their being made redundant this week.’

Meanjin’s editor, Esther Anatolitis, and deputy editor, Eli McLean, will finish up today, Thursday 4 September 2025. The final issue of Meanjin will be the Summer 2025 edition, to be published in December 2025, celebrating the journal’s 85th year with works commissioned from Bruce Pascoe, poet П. O., Ellen van Neerven and more, reported Crikey.

On LinkedIn, the University of Melbourne associate provost Marcia Langton said, ‘This is a significant loss to the literary community. As a contributing author, I cannot fathom why this journal, steeped in Australian literary traditions, innovations, and history, cannot be rescued.’

Founded in Magandjin (Brisbane) in 1940, Meanjin was invited to join MUP in 1945, and moved to Melbourne to do so. It is Australia’s second oldest literary journal.

Past contributors include some of Australia’s most highly renowned authors including Oodgeroo Noonuccal, Patrick White, David Malouf, Bruce Pascoe, Roberta Sykes, Helen Garner, John Morrison, Alexis Wright, Peter Carey, Alice Pung, Michelle de Kretser and international writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Kurt Vonnegut.

Books+Publishing will follow up when more information becomes available.

Category: Local news