if:book uk is a charitable company exploring the future of the book and digital possibilities for literature.
if:book was founded in 2007 by writer Christopher Meade, currently taking a practice-based PhD in Digital Writing at Bath Spa University. He is making an evolving digital fiction which you can follow at www.nearlyology.net.
In 2012 Chris set up Ifsoflo, makers of all sorts of literature happenings, including Story Park with David Almond and Set Poetry Free, a digital poetry anthology for schools. You can read the work of IFSO WRITERS at www.ifsopress.com
Chris has spoken at dozens of conferences in the UK and around the world on digital possibilities for literature and the future of the book. Please contact chris@ifbook.co.uk if you want to pay him to speak or run a workshop at an event. He also runs Nearlyology Days.
His blog is www.bookfutures.com. He’s been a judge of the Bologna Ragazzi Digital Prize for the past three years and if:book UK has been closely involved in the New Media Writing Prize, run by Bournemouth University. Previously he has been Director of Booktrust, the Poetry Society and a pioneer of literature development work and Imagination Services in Birmingham and Sheffield Libraries.
if:book UK is linked to Bob Stein’s INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BOOK in New York and IF:BOOK AUSTRALIA in Brisbane. Funders have included Arts Council England, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, The Clore Duffield Foundation.
if:book UK is an associate of the Free Word Centre in Farringdon, London and helped to create the IF:BOOK CAFE in Hornsey Library, part of a project on the Future of the Book Place.
Chris has appeared on Radio 4′s Cultural Exchange, launching the BBC’s year of culture, and in 2012 was a participant in Tino Seghal’s These Associations at Tate Modern. In 2013 with choreographer Jia-Yu Corti, he performed at the Chisenhale Dance Space and King’s Place, London, ran Nearly workshops in Hornsey Library and a pop up gallery in Bristol, in association with artists’ collective Alldaybreakfast.
