Liverpool-based publisher, Dead Ink, is awarded internship grant to open doors for under-represented talent in publishing.
Dead Ink, an independent publisher in the North of England, is the award-winning alternative to mainstream publishing, “publishers of the weird, bold, and genre-defying”.
The company has been named the second recipient of the David Tebbutt Internship Fund – an initiative launched in 2025 from Creative Access and the David Tebbutt Trust to open doors for under-represented talent in publishing.
The internship fund honours the memory of David Tebbutt, former Finance Director at Faber, who passed away in 2011. The Fund is jointly administered by Faber and the Tebbutt family.
The Fund will provide 100% of the cost of an intern’s training bursary or salary based on the Real Living Wage for a 6-month, full-time traineeship once a year for three years. It will also cover all costs relating to the recruitment and training of successful candidates.
The initiative is aimed at small, regional publishers who might not otherwise have the resources to host a trainee. It is specifically designed to support people from backgrounds historically under-represented in publishing – this includes, but is not limited to, Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates, disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent people, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
On receiving the funding, Nathan Connolly, managing director of Dead Ink, said:
“Dead Ink’s origins are as a shoestring press driven by passion, and we have long championed working-class access to the publishing industry. It gives us great pleasure to be able to accept this funding to open doors to those from a similar background as myself.”
Judith Tebbutt, wife of the late David Tebbutt, and Oliver Tebbutt, his son, as trustees of the David Tebbutt Trust said:
“We are absolutely delighted that Dead Ink has been chosen as the recipient of the second Creative Access/David Tebbutt Trust award. This will give the chosen trainee an exceptional opportunity for what is hoped will be, a successful future career in publishing. David would have been extremely happy.”
Josie Dobrin OBE, founder and executive chair of Creative Access, commented:
“We were super impressed by the quality and range of applications for the second round of the David Tebbutt internship, and selecting a recipient was no easy task. We are delighted to award the grant to Dead Ink and are confident they will provide an excellent opportunity for someone from a disadvantaged or marginalised background to enter the publishing industry while helping to continue David’s legacy.”
Recruitment for Dead Ink’s editorial trainee will be led by Creative Access. The intern will be paid the National Living Wage and join Creative Access’ Springboard programme, receiving training, mentoring and peer support to help them build a sustainable career in publishing.
Applications for the next round of the Fund will be open from the start of January – mid February 2027. For more information and to apply, contact recruit@creativeaccess.org.uk.
Apply to become Dead Ink’s next editorial trainee. Applications close: Monday 1 June 2026 at 11.59pm.
