In 2022, Damien Levi received a Contestable Fund Grant, which helped him kickstart his micro-press Āporo Press.
Established and run by Damien Levi, Āporo Press is bad apple's associated micro-press which aims to publish works by minority voices in Aotearoa New Zealand. Spoiled Fruit: Queer Poetry from Aotearoa (2023) is the first title published by Āporo Press, edited by Damien Levi and Amber Esau.
Damien tells us why he applied and how the grant has helped.
Tell me a little more about Āporo Press? What got you started? What do you hope for its future?
Āporo Press came about thanks to the Contestable Fund Grant! The funding I received was to publish a collection of work from writers who had been featured in the LGBTQIA+ journal bad apple. Having studied the Diploma of Publishing at Whitireia, I felt like the natural step for publishing the collection, which went on to be Spoiled Fruit: Queer Poetry from Aotearoa, was to create a press. This way, if things went well, I could continue to publish new books under that same imprint. bad apple has its own kaupapa and exists more as a platform for development and experimentation.
The primary goal of Āporo Press is to publish work by folks who exist in the margins of our society, perhaps people who might not be considered super financially viable in a commercial publishing house. My hopes for its future are pretty humble—it would be nice to be able to publish one new book a year.
What made you apply for the Contestable Fund?
This was my first time applying for any type of funding so I suppose I thought I’d just take a chance! We had a lecture from a CLNZ employee during my diploma and after finding out more about the organisation I thought my project might have a good chance of being funded. I was drawn to the projects funded in previous years—a lot of work by minority groups and creators I respected.
I’ve found other funding bodies quite intimidating to approach and in comparison, the Contestable Fund has quite a straightforward application process. With examples, a clear application guide and criteria easily accessible on the funding page, I felt equipped with all the information I needed to apply.
The grant helped not only to give us the money to produce our book, which was the original goal, but has managed to help us kickstart a micro-press and add new voices to the publishing landscape in Aotearoa. We were able to pay 20 contributing writers, a cover designer and several freelancers involved in the project.
Any advice for future applicants?
If you’re considering applying for the Contestable Fund in the future, I would really recommend familiarising yourself with the application guide and criteria. That document will equip you with all the knowledge you need to apply! It’s also a good idea to take a look at what has been funded previously. This will give you an idea of where your project fits in the landscape and if it’s something unique that’s providing for an underserved community or platforming an unheard narrative.
Applications for the 2024 Contestable Fund Grants are now open. Click here to apply and for more information >>
Image credits: Spoiled Fruit cover, courtesy of Āporo Press. Damien Levi, image by Sylvia Louis-Marie.