SEEKING JUDGES FOR THE BREAD & ROSES AWARD 2024!

*Please note we are no longer looking for judges, we've been overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and support, thank you all!*

Do you enjoy reading radical left-wing political non-fiction? Are you excited about the Bread & Roses Award for Radical Publishing? Would you like to volunteer to be a judge, assessing books and selecting the 2024 winner?

Judging involves reading a lot of books over a five-month period, and there will be ample opportunities to talk about books and politics and ultimately be an integral part of a community of like-minded folk!

First things first - what's involved?

You will be expected to read up to 16 books across 12 weeks - although if you really don’t connect with a book you don’t need to continue reading it (each book is considered by at least two judges). You are then going to attend a judges’ meeting on 27 May, which will last for 2 hours. After this, you will read the entire shortlist (across an additional 8 weeks), which can be up to 6 books, and meet again to pick a winner on 26 July.

We ask all our volunteers to read our Safe Spaces policy and commit to its standards of behaviour : https://lighthousebookshop.com/contact-faq#6 If you have any questions about it - just shout.

Do I get paid for being a judge?

The Bread & Roses Award for Radical Publishing is presented by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers without the backing of corporate sponsors. So unfortunately we are unable to offer payment to our judges. We will however give you 35% off all purchases at Lighthouse Bookshop for the duration of your tenure as judge, i.e. for the entirety of 2024, and you can take as many ‘proof’ books as you like, and a Lighthouse tote bag of your choice. And of course you get to hold on to the books you read!

Key dates

4 Mar 2024: You receive your allocation of up to 16 books.

March, April and May 2024: You read your allocated 16 books

27 May 2024: All judges meet to decide the longlist and shortlist.

June, July 2024: All judges read the entire shortlist

26 July 2024: All judges meet to decide the winner.

What are the judging criteria?

Winning books should be:

• informed by radical political concerns and traditions, such as socialism, anarchism, environmentalism, feminism or anti-racism
• inspiring, supporting or reporting on political and/or personal change
• accessible to the interested judge
• making an important contribution to contemporary academic debate
• relating to global, national, local or specialist areas of interest

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

If you’re tempted to volunteer, please send your details and the specifics of your availability to Christina at books@lighthousebookshop.com - *Please note we are no longer looking for judges, we've been overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and support, thank you all!*

Please include a phone number and availability in the final week of February for a wee 5 minute phone chat. This will be super informal, just to hear a little more about what kind of books you like and what made you interested in being a judge.

If there are any access arrangements that will help you navigate your judges’ duties please don't hesitate to let us know! We’ll never expect you to do a task you aren’t comfortable with/feel capable of so please do be open with us and we can plan accordingly.

Thanks in advance, we can't wait to meet you!