At Yellow House Publishing Ltd., we believe that true freedom of expression begins with independence. That’s why we have made a clear and deliberate choice not to access government or arts funding. While such funding may benefit some, it inevitably comes with expectations spoken or unspoken that can influence the direction, tone, or boundaries of published work.
Our motto, “Free consciousness lost; reason has slept” (Jean Cavalier), reminds us that freedom of thought and speech must be actively protected not just in principle, but in practice. By refusing state or institutional funding, we maintain full editorial control, unshackled by policy, ideology, or the publicly funded ostiarius.
This issue is especially relevant in the Irish publishing industry, where much of the literary output is heavily subsidised by arts councils and government bodies. While this support sustains many writers and presses, it can also create an environment of quiet conformity. Riskier, politically sensitive, or unorthodox works often struggle to find a home in this system not because they lack merit, but because they fall outside state-defined priorities. In such an ecosystem, the boundaries of acceptability are often set by funding criteria, not by literary merit or truth.
At Yellow House, we believe there must be space for another model. Our independence allows us to publish bold, challenging voices, work that may be politically inconvenient, artistically daring, or culturally disruptive. We exist to support writers who speak truth to power, and to ensure their words are not diluted by the hand that feeds.
At Yellow House, the press remains free because it is funded by belief, not bureaucracy.
Christoph Thackaberry
Publisher