A Public Space
A Public Space is a New York–based independent nonprofit publisher of a quarterly literary magazine (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, essays), an A Public Space Books imprint, Academy workshops, and an annual Weekend Writers' Retreat, serving literary readers, emerging writers, and editors globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What A Public Space does
A Public Space is an independent, New York–based nonprofit literary publisher operating a quarterly print and digital magazine (currently No. 33) that features fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and essays, alongside a book imprint, A Public Space Books, and an Academy that runs workshops, master classes, and the annual Weekend Writers' Retreat at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. The underlying technology is a modest, website-centric stack: a CMS-driven magazine site with an online archive, an e-commerce storefront for subscriptions and book sales (processed via Stripe), a Submittable integration for manuscript submissions, and Google Analytics for traffic measurement. There are no disclosed proprietary AI, data, or platform technologies, and the organization runs with a small team of 1–10 people.
The business model is a hybrid of earned and contributed revenue. Earned income comes from individual subscriptions (starting at $36 annually for three issues plus archive access), single-issue purchases in digital and print formats, book sales through the A Public Space Books imprint, and workshop and retreat fees. Contributed income comes from public and foundation grants, including the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, the Hawthornden Foundation, and the Amazon Literary Partnership. The go-to-market motion is community-led: writers are recruited globally through open Submittable submissions and Writing and Editorial Fellowships (with 1,200+ applicants in 2026), while readers are reached through the website, newsletter, social channels (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), events, and the free Public Access program that exposes selected archive content to drive subscriptions and book sales.
A Public Space firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Public Space
- Legal name
- A Public Space
- Website
- https://apublicspace.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- A Public Space is a New York–based independent nonprofit publisher of a quarterly literary magazine (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, essays), an A Public Space Books imprint, Academy workshops, and an annual Weekend Writers' Retreat, serving literary readers, emerging writers, and editors globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Public Space industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Magazine Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC)
Keywords
Where A Public Space is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
A Public Space business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions starting at $36 that include three issues of the magazine, plus access to the online archive
- Book Sales: Sale of books published through A Public Space Books imprint, including debut collections and translations
- Workshop and Retreat Fees: Revenue from writing workshops and the Weekend Writers' Retreat held at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park
- Grants and Public Funding: Supported by public funds from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Hawthornden Foundation, Amazon Literary Partnership, and New York State Council on the Arts
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription with three issues |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual issue purchase |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
A Public Space product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Public Space is a nonprofit publisher that produces a quarterly literary magazine featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and essays, alongside a book imprint (A Public Space Books). It also offers paid writing education programs—the Academy (online workshops) and the Weekend Writers' Retreat—as well as fellowship programs and a free public-access online archive.
Product overview
A Public Space is a literary magazine with an integrated publishing arm. The core offerings include the quarterly A Public Space Magazine featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art; A Public Space Books for publishing collections; and Academy programs including workshops and the annual Weekend Writers' Retreat. The organization also offers subscriptions with archive access and a Public Access program providing free archive content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- A Public Space Books: Book publishing imprint of A Public Space, publishing story collections, novels, and poetry translations
Products and services
- A Public Space Literary Magazine Quarterly independent literary magazine featuring curated fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and essays, sold by subscription and as individual issues to general readers and supporters of nonprofit literary publishing.
- A Public Space Books Book publishing imprint that publishes selected literary titles, available for one-time purchase by readers through the A Public Space website.
- Magazine Subscription Annual subscription granting individual readers four quarterly print issues of A Public Space magazine delivered directly.
- The Academy (Online Writing Workshops) Online writing workshops taught by established writers and editors for aspiring and emerging writers seeking structured craft instruction and feedback on fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
- Weekend Writers' Retreat In-person weekend writing retreat offering guided writing time and craft instruction to aspiring and working writers.
- Public Access Archive Free online archive of selected literary content from the magazine, providing public access to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art for readers.
- A Public Space Writing Fellowships Annual writing fellowship awarded to selected writers, providing mentorship, editorial support, and publication of their work in the magazine.
- A Public Space Editorial Fellowship Editorial fellowship providing early-career editors hands-on experience working with A Public Space editors on manuscripts slated for publication.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 30 writers supported from 8 countries over the past decade
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use A Public Space
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
A Public Space technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
A Public Space partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Kaatsbaan Cultural ParkcorePresented in partnership with Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York, hosting the third annual Weekend Writers' Retreat from October 8-11, 2026. The retreat features generative writing workshops, literary talks, and evening events at the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park venue.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
A Public Space competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Archipelago Books: Nonprofit literary publisher dedicated to translated world literature. Comparable as a nonprofit literary publisher with a translation program and a curated list of literary collections.
- McSweeney's: Independent literary publisher founded by Dave Eggers, producing literary magazines (McSweeney's Quarterly Concern), books, and fostering emerging writers. Operates with a similar nonprofit/independent model focused on literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
- The Paris Review: Quarterly literary magazine featuring fiction, poetry, essays, and author interviews, with a long-running books imprint and writers-in-residence programs. Closely comparable in editorial scope, periodicity, and literary-prestige positioning.
- Electric Literature: Nonprofit digital literary magazine promoting emerging and established writers through fiction, essays, and recommendations. Comparable as a mission-driven, nonprofit literary publisher with a community focus.
- n+1: Independent literary magazine publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and criticism with an emphasis on emerging voices. Comparable as a small, independent, literary-editorial publication with subscription and book-adjacent products.
- Granta: Independent literary magazine and book publisher featuring fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from established and emerging writers. Comparable in its dual magazine/books model and its prestige-driven editorial identity.
- Graywolf Press: Nonprofit literary book publisher focused on fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from diverse and emerging writers. Comparable as a nonprofit literary publishing imprint championing debut voices and translations.
- Tin House: Independent literary magazine and book publisher featuring fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with a strong workshop and community focus. Closely comparable magazine-plus-books model serving emerging writers.
- One Story: Literary magazine publishing a single short story per issue, with subscription model, mentorship programs, and a literary community. Directly comparable periodical-style publishing with literary focus and educational outreach.
- Catapult: Independent publisher of fiction, nonfiction, and story collections, with writing programs and online courses. Comparable through its combination of literary books, writing instruction, and community engagement.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
A Public Space social profiles
Digital presenceA Public Space financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Public Space leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
A Public Space funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Public Space M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A Public Space
What does A Public Space do?
A Public Space is a nonprofit publisher that produces a quarterly literary magazine featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and essays, alongside a book imprint (A Public Space Books). It also offers paid writing education programs—the Academy (online workshops) and the Weekend Writers' Retreat—as well as fellowship programs and a free public-access online archive.
Is A Public Space a public or private company?
A Public Space is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was A Public Space founded?
A Public Space was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is A Public Space based?
A Public Space is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does A Public Space make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are book Sales, workshop and Retreat Fees and grants and Public Funding.
Who are A Public Space's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Archipelago Books, McSweeney's, The Paris Review, Electric Literature, n+1, Granta, Graywolf Press, Tin House, One Story and Catapult.
Does A Public Space have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Public Space.
What industry is A Public Space in?
A Public Space's product category is Literary Magazine Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJABAC, Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2741.