named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
A Public Space Books
Book imprint publishing debut and emerging authors, including award-winning collections such as Mahreen Sohail’s _Small Scale Sinners_ and Ada Zhang’s _The Sorrows of Others_
A Public Space Magazine
Independent literary and arts magazine publishing innovative writing and art from emerging and established voices, with select content made freely available through Public Access
Online Workshops
Virtual writing workshops on topics such as translation, embodiment, and narrative technique, offered to writers nationwide
Weekend Writers’ Retreat
Annual in-person retreat featuring workshops, literary salons, and movement classes led by award-winning authors and artists, held at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 4 activities
- Annual Weekend Writers’ RetreatHosts an annual in-person retreat at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York, featuring morning writing workshops led by established authors, afternoon literary salons, creative movement classes, and evening events, with on-site accommodations and capped enrollment to ensure intimate instruction.
- Communal reading projectOrganized "Tolstoy Together," an 85-day global communal reading of War and Peace with Yiyun Li, engaging thousands of participants across six continents, culminating in a published book.
- Online workshop seriesOffers online writing workshops on literary topics such as close reading, character and place, and translation as cosmological practice, led by established writers and open to the public.
- Public events and book launchesHosts public events including launch celebrations for new magazine issues and author books, featuring live readings and conversations with contributors and fellows, held both in-person (e.g., at Bar Laika) and online.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 2 activities
- Publication of debut literary booksPublishes and promotes debut literary works through A Public Space Books, including fiction and nonfiction collections by emerging writers, some of which have received major literary recognition such as the PEN/Faulkner Award, National Book Award finalist status, and the Dylan Thomas Prize.
- Publication of literary magazineProduces and distributes the literary and arts magazine A Public Space, featuring fiction, essays, poetry, and experimental work, with new subscriptions including three issues starting with No. 32. Maintains an online archive of over a decade of award-winning literary content accessible to the public.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Deborah Pease Prize administrationAdministers and awards the Deborah Pease Prize annually to honor individuals who have contributed significantly to literature and the arts, including a public in-person celebration in New York City to recognize recipients.
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Paid Internships in Media & Publishing 1 activity
- Editorial Fellowship programOperates an Editorial Fellowship program to train aspiring editors, promote diversity in publishing, and involve fellows in curating public content such as the Public Access archive.
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Literary Publishing and Support Programs 1 activity
- Writing Fellowship programOffers three annual Writing Fellowships to emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have not yet published a book-length work, supporting the development of new literary voices.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$417K
Contributions & grants$257K62%
Program service revenue$104K25%
Investment income$8K2%
Other revenue$48K
expenses
Total expenses$472K
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$219K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$668K
Cash$612K
Investments$0
Liabilities$150K
Net assets$518K
Liquid reserves15.5 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -16.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIGID HUGHES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $138K |
board members · 6
- CHARLES BUICE — PRESIDENT
- ELIZABETH GAFFNEY — VICE PRESIDENT
- KATHERINE BELL — BOARD MEMBER
- RIMJHIM DEY — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT SULLIVAN — BOARD MEMBER
- YIYUN LI — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Amazon Literary Partnership Funder — Supporting funder providing financial support.
- Bar Laika Partner — Hosted a launch event for A Public Space No. 33 in collaboration with the organization.
- Bar Laika Partner — Venue for the A Public Space No. 33 issue launch party featuring contributor readings.
- Brigid Hughes Partner — Co-founder of A Public Space who had formative conversations with Deborah Pease about launching the magazine.
- Charles Buice Partner — Board president of A Public Space who articulated the purpose and legacy of the Deborah Pease Prize.
- Community Bookstore Partner — Co-hosted a reading and conversation event with Writing Fellow Kristen Gleason.
- Community Bookstore Partner — Venue for a reading and conversation event celebrating the publication of Kristen Gleason's The Wallet and Other Thefts.
- Community of Literary Magazines and Presses Network — Proud member organization supporting literary magazines and presses.
- Graywolf Press Partner — Partner in publishing books by contributors to the magazine, including titles such as A Lucky Man and Mirror, Shoulder Signal.
- Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Partner — Host site for the annual Weekend Writers’ Retreat.
- Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Partner — Hosts the Weekend Writers’ Retreat in collaboration with A Public Space.
- Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Partner — Hosts the organization's annual writers' retreat at its cultural campus in Tivoli, NY.
- Lost City Books Partner — Co-hosted a reading and conversation event with Mahreen Sohail.
- NYC Cultural Affairs Government — Supporting funder providing financial support.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Supporting funder providing financial support.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Supporting funder providing financial support.
- Submittable Partner — Platform used to collect submissions for the open call.
- Tables of Contents Partner — Caters the celebratory dinner at the organization's weekend writers' retreat.
- The Literary Arts Emergency Fund Funder — Supporting funder providing financial support.
- Yiyun Li Partner — Board member of A Public Space who described Kelly Link’s literary contributions and supported the award decision.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Embodied and Experiential Approaches to Creative Developmentmethodology: embodied_creativityBy integrating somatic practices and embodied movement into writing processes, we help writers access deeper creative states and overcome blocks, because bodily engagement activates subconscious or "wild" sources of imagination that intellectual effort alone cannot reach.
- Immersive Literary Retreats for Writer Developmentmethodology: immersive-writers-retreatBy providing immersive retreats with workshops, talks, and events, we nurture the development of new work and refine technique, because sustained, focused engagement in a supportive literary community fosters creative risk-taking and artistic growth.
- Metaphor as Generative Engine in Narrativemethodology: metaphor_as_engineBy using metaphor as a core generative force, we shape narrative structure, voice, and character development, because metaphor opens unexpected creative pathways and allows writers to explore complex emotional and thematic terrain through symbolic resonance.
- Support for Unconventional and Unclassifiable Voicesmethodology: support-for-unconventional-voicesBy publishing overlooked and unclassifiable literary work that defies traditional genres and cultural boundaries, we expand the literary canon and amplify marginalized forms of expression, because such work challenges dominant categorizations and enriches the literary ecosystem.
- Translation as Deep Cultural and Linguistic Interpretationmethodology: cosmological_translationBy employing cosmological translation methods with research maps, lexicons, and real-time notes, we preserve the author’s voice and cultural context, because deep linguistic engagement ensures fidelity not just to words but to worldview and meaning systems.