BkMk Press is an independent literary press formerly affiliated with the University of Missouri-Kansas City, that publishes full-length collections of poetry, fiction, and essays. Founded in 1971 by Dan Jaffe, it had been a part of UMKC's College of Arts and Sciences since 1983. In July 2021 the university separated BkMk Press and BkMk became an independent entity. The press has received funding and awards from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federa ...

, the Missouri Arts Council, the Swedish Institute in Stockholm, the Witter Bynner Foundation, and the Kansas City Institute for Trusts and Foundations. Notable authors published by BkMk Press include Mmbembe Milton Smith, Yehuda Amichai, Howard Schwartz, Alfred Kisubi, George Gurly, Sylvia Wheeler and others. Recent publications by

Kelly Cherry Kelly Cherry (December 21, 1940 – March 18, 2022) was a novelist, poet, essayist, professor, and literary critic Alice Friman Alice Friman (born October 20, 1933) is an American poet. She has taught at a number of universities and helped to found the Indiana Writers' Center. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Indianapolis, and was poet-in-residence at Georg ...

Rane Arroyo Ramón Arroyo (November 15, 1954 – May 7, 2010) was an American playwright, poet and scholar of Puerto Rican descent who wrote numerous books and received many literary awards. He was a professor of English and Creative Writing at the Un ...

Carolyn Kizer Carolyn Ashley Kizer (December 10, 1925 – October 9, 2014) was an American poet of the Pacific Northwest whose works reflect her feminism. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1985. According to an article at the Center for the Study of the Pacific ...

, Tony Barnstone, and

Mary Troy Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also call ...

. BkMk Press publishes on average six titles a year, and sponsors two annual publication awards for the best submitted book-length manuscript in English: the John Ciardi Prize for Poetry, and the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction.

References

External links

BkMk Press Website

Council of Literary Magazines and Small Presses > Directory of Member Publishers

The Academy of American Poets > Missouri page
{{Authority control Book publishing companies based in Missouri Publishing companies established in 1971 University presses of the United States University of Missouri–Kansas City American companies established in 1971 1971 establishments in Missouri