A New International Editor

We're delighted to announce James Byrne has been appointed Arc's new International Editor, taking over the reins from John Kinsella. Kinsella steered the International list for fifteen years, bringing such poets as Alvin Pang and Patrick Lane to a UK readership. James promises to continue the strong work.

As editor of The Wolf magazine he has published over 350 poets from all continents of the world, and so has the knowledge and experience to continue to introduce outstanding poets from around the world. And of course he worked with us on editing Bones Will Crow.

When I asked James what the post meant to him, he was quick to tell me: "I'm in the Netherlands, participating at the 44th Poetry International Poetry Festival. With its myriad of poets this year-from Ashbery to Adonis-it feels an appropriate place to receive the news that Arc has invited me to be their new International Editor.

"It's a great honour to accept this role and I'm very excited to be part of Arc's longstanding commitment to international poetries across the world. I come to this with deep respect for the editorial vision of Arc and, equally, for their departing International Editor, John Kinsella, who, for anyone, would be a tough act to follow. Like John, I see all of my work in the field of poetry as a continually active process and I am looking forward to the editorial exchange with authors, which I see as both a collaborative and curatorial process, a creative exchange.

"I'm particularly interested in developing the Arc International Poetry Series and see much potential here. There are many fine writers who have immediately sprung to mind for potential collections, some who will be new to British audiences. I will be considering writers who are fully present in the 21st Century, able to respond to the complicated demands of the times we live in. Essentially, for this series and over the course of the next few years, I hope to bring some of the most vital international writers writing in the English language today and intend to revitalise the international list, as far as possible. I'm fortunate to know exactly what I'm getting into-this is a chance to work with one of the most significant publishers of international poetry around anywhere today. I can't wait to get started!"

And nor can we...