New Welsh Review

‘New Welsh Review is essential reading for anybody interested in writing and culture in Wales and beyond. It has ambition, range, passion and thoroughness and is quite simply a must-read. Don’t be without it.’
– Gwyneth Lewis

‘From the striking design of the front cover to the evocative poem at the back, New Welsh Review is thoughtful, insightful, and, truly, a pleasure to read.’ – Abeer Ameer

‘New Welsh Review is a vibrant and essential publication for anyone who loves the culture of Wales. The careers and development of so many Welsh writers, and the joy of so many books from Wales, would be unthinkable, without the rich opportunities this magazine provides. Beautifully curated and produced, each issue is a celebration and an inspiration. Long may it thrive!’ – Jonathan Edwards

Founded in 1988, New Welsh Review is Wales’ foremost literary magazine in English. For over thirty years, it has been central to the Welsh literary scene in offering a vital outlet for the very best new fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry, a forum for critical debate and a rigorous and engaged reviewing culture. Today, New Welsh Review holds true to its original mission statement: to be dynamic, curious, lively and outward-looking, to commemorate the past but to celebrate contemporary excellence and new directions.

New Welsh Review 140: Gwlad! Gwlad!

Reviews: Hannah Dafforn’s fiction review essay, ‘Sex and the Silo: National trauma, rural violence and the “end of love” in deep Spain’ explores the interconnection between Un Amor by Sara Mesa, Disgrace by J.M Coetzee and Mammoth by Eva Baltasar; Hanan Issa reviews Muslim Wales: A History in Nine Places by Abdul-Azim Ahmed; and Daryl Leeworthy reviews Will Hayward’s recent political book, Who Cares about Wales?

Fiction: short stories by Brennig Davies, Esyllt Lewis, and Kate Roberts, the latter translated from Cymraeg by Katie Gramich.

Poetry: Three poems taken from Hilary Watson’s upcoming poetry collection, Menagerie Street.

Interviews: ‘A life is no small matter’: Eluned Gramich interviews Brennig Davies on his short story, ‘A/B’, his upcoming collection, Dogs in a Storm, and his experience of writing in Welsh and English. Plus, Rhian Elizabeth introduces herself to readers by listing her A to Z.

Photo Essay: ‘Postcard from Japan’ by Catrin Menai who reflects on her time in Japan as part of the Wales and Japan 2025 Cultural Programme.

Archival Essay: ‘The Making of the Anglo-Welsh Tradition’ by Peter Macdonald Smith, taken from the first issue of New Welsh Review, Summer 1988.

Cartoon: A thought-provoking cartoon by Corb Davies, taking the temperature of the political climate in Wales following the recent election.

Cover Art: Olwen Fowler

Design: Olwen Fowler

Buy our latest issue from our bookshop

For individual and institutional digital subscriptions please visit Exact Editions

Editor Profile

Imogen Davies is a Welsh writer and academic from Aberystwyth. Her debut poetry collection, Distances, was inspired by her travels across Europe during her year abroad. Her poems explore human connection in the modern age, the natural world, and Welsh identity. Her poetry has appeared both online and in print in various literary magazines. She worked with Wales Arts International during the Women's EUROs 2025, travelling to Switzerland to support the Welsh team; her poem was given to the Welsh women's team to wish them good luck, in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales. She recently delivered a TEDx Talk in Aberystwyth on Love in Minority Languages, exploring her own relationship with the Welsh language.

Brief History:

Founded in 1988 as the successor to The Welsh Review (1939–1948), Dock Leaves and The Anglo-Welsh Review (1949–1987), New Welsh Review is Wales’ foremost literary magazine in English.

New Welsh Review has published some of the greatest writers and thinkers from Wales and beyond; Dannie Abse, Paul Muldoon, P.D. James, Emyr Humphreys, Leslie Norris, Gwyneth Lewis, Les Murray, Rachel Trezise, Niall Griffiths, Owen Sheers, Tiffany Murray, Christopher Meredith, Edna Longley, Byron Rogers and Gillian Clarke.

New Welsh Review is published with support from The Borzello Trust, Rheidol Trust and Books Council of Wales with thanks to Richard Powell and Bob Borzello.

Submissions:

We are open to submissions of creative non-fiction, short stories, poetry, review essays and photo essays on a rolling basis.

For our review essays, we want incisive, engaging and innovative essays of critical interest in the study and discussion of Welsh writing in English (particularly the latest generation of writers) or contemporary European literature in translation in English. These pieces should be between 2500 and 6000 words and focus on two to three books of any vintage.

For consideration for our guest poet spot please send six poems in one document along with a short bio. Please include your name in the title of your email attachment. If you would like to nominate a new or emerging poet to be a guest poet, drop us an email with a link to their work and why you think we should feature them.

Our 'In Conversation' slot is also open for pitches of collaborations, interviews (written and live event transcripts) and other interpretations.

Current flat rate fees: £150 for nonfiction / review essay pieces of around 2500-6000 words, £100 for short stories of around 2500-6000 words. Photography, In Conversation and poetry rates on application.

Our New Welsh Writing Awards will take a break in 2026.

Get in touch: newwelshreview.submissions@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!