What Deep Vellum Publishing does

Deep Vellum Publishing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary arts organization founded in 2013 by Will Evans and based in Dallas, Texas. It publishes translated literature and original English-language works across multiple imprints — its flagship Deep Vellum imprint plus the recently integrated Open Letter Books (translated fiction) and acquired Fum d'Estampa Press (multilingual titles) — and serves readers, independent bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions interested in international and translated literature. The combined catalog exceeds 1,200 titles across imprints.

The organization operates a hybrid model combining publishing with a physical independent bookstore in Dallas and an annual literary festival (Deep Vellum Fest). Trade-channel distribution is handled through Consortium Book Sales & Distribution and Ingram, providing reach into the broader book market. Beyond publishing, the organization runs educational and community programming in partnership with academic institutions including Southern Methodist University and Johns Hopkins University, and was developing a membership program to broaden its recurring-revenue base.

Revenue is generated primarily through book sales across imprints, bookstore transactions, festival ticket sales and sponsorships, and donations and grants from foundations and individuals. The organization employs approximately 23 people and depends on philanthropic support; it received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that was terminated in 2025 amid shifts in federal arts funding, illustrating exposure to public-funder policy in addition to consumer book-buying trends.

Name

Deep Vellum Publishing

Legal name

Deep Vellum Publishing

Website

https://deepvellum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Deep Vellum Publishing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary arts organization that publishes translated literature across multiple imprints and operates a Dallas bookstore and annual literary festival serving readers, independent bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), All Other Publishers (513199), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Literary publishing
• Translated fiction
• Nonprofit publishing
• Literary arts programming
• Independent book publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Revenue from selling published books through direct-to-consumer website, physical bookstore, events, and through distribution partners (Consortium Book Sales/Ingram). Includes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, photography, and translated literature across 6+ imprints.
2. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Deep Vellum receives tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, as well as grants from foundations and government arts agencies. Donations support publishing costs, author tours, literary events, and maintaining affordable book pricing.
3. Festival Passes and Events: Revenue from the annual Deep Vellum Music & Literature Festival through ticket sales (Friday+ Pass $15, Saturday+ Pass $30, Weekend Festival Pass $40). Free daytime events also drive book sales and donations.
4. Membership (forthcoming): Deep Vellum is launching a new members' group with subscription-style benefits. Details pending announcement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Deep Vellum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit publishing house and literary arts organization that publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, photography, and translated literature through multiple imprints under the Deep Vellum, Dalkey Archive Press, Open Letter Books, A Strange Object, La Reunion, Phoneme Media, Fum d'Estampa, and Burro Libro Press brands. It also operates a physical bookstore in Dallas, an online bookstore, and hosts an annual Music & Literature Festival.

Product overview

Deep Vellum Publishing is a nonprofit publishing house and literary arts organization with 5+ publishing imprints: Deep Vellum (core imprint for international and English-original works), A Strange Object (award-winning fiction/nonfiction), La Reunion Publishing (Dallas writers), Phoneme Media, Fum d'Estampa, Dalkey Archive Press, Open Letter Books, and Burro Libro Press. The company operates a physical bookstore in Dallas and an online store, and hosts an annual Music & Literature Festival. Book categories include fiction, poetry, nonfiction, photography, translated literature, and children's books. Distribution is handled through Consortium Book Sales and Distribution (Ingram). The catalog represents authors from 6 continents, 100+ countries, written originally in 80+ languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A Strange Object: An imprint publishing award-winning fiction and nonfiction.
• La Reunion Publishing
• Phoneme Media
• Fum d'Estampa
• Dalkey Archive Press
• Open Letter Books

Products and services

• Deep Vellum Publishing (core imprint) Main nonprofit publishing imprint publishing diverse international and English-original literature including fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and photography; approximately half of published books are international works in translation.
• A Strange Object Deep Vellum imprint publishing award-winning fiction and nonfiction, including National Book Award finalists and winners such as North Sun by Ethan Rutherford.
• La Reunion Publishing Deep Vellum imprint focused on Dallas writers and Texas-related content, including the city's past, present, and future.
• Phoneme Media Deep Vellum imprint focused on international and translated literature.
• Fum d'Estampa British small press founded by translator and book designer Douglas Suttle in 2020; translation-focused imprint acquired by Deep Vellum in December 2024.
• Dalkey Archive Press Literary press known for publishing avant-garde, experimental, and neglected fiction and world literature, distributed through Consortium/Ingram and hosted via the Deep Vellum website (Dalkey Archive Essentials Blog).
• Open Letter Books University of Rochester's translation publisher specializing in translated world literature; joined Deep Vellum in March 2025 with Deep Vellum assuming publishing, distribution, and marketing operations.
• Burro Libro Press New publishing imprint launched in partnership with the Texas Book Festival in May 2026.
• Deep Vellum Bookstore Physical bookstore located at 3000 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75226, in the Deep Ellum cultural district; sells Deep Vellum, Dalkey Archive Press, and other independent publishers' titles and serves as a venue for literary events and the annual festival.
• Deep Vellum Online Store Direct-to-consumer online bookstore at store.deepvellum.org offering Deep Vellum, Dalkey Archive Press, and related inventory titles with direct shipping to readers.
• Deep Vellum Music & Literature Festival Annual multi-day festival in Dallas's Deep Ellum neighborhood featuring 15+ panels, readings, music performances, vendor fairs, and reading lounges; combines global literary voices with live music, with free daytime events plus paid headliner shows (Friday+ Pass $15, Saturday+ Pass $30, Weekend Pass $40).

Quantifiable outcome

• Deep Vellum has published 1200+ titles across 6 imprints since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Texas Book Festival / Burro Libro PresscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2025Deep Vellum partnered with the Texas Book Festival to launch Burro Libro Press, a new publishing imprint. Texas Book Festival sponsors the 'Nations Reshaped' panel at the 2026 festival and provides ongoing programmatic support.
• Open Letter Books (University of Rochester)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2025Deep Vellum assumed publishing, distribution, and marketing of Open Letter Books — the University of Rochester's translation publisher — in an innovative agreement announced March 2025. Open Letter is a major player in literary translation, strengthening Deep Vellum's position as the largest publisher of translated literature in the US. Open Letter continues operations at the University of Rochester.
• Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at Johns HopkinsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025The Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at Johns Hopkins University sponsors The Invisible Years (a Deep Vellum/Dalkey Archive title), supporting the publication and promotion of this work.
• Fum d'EstampaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2024Deep Vellum acquired Fum d'Estampa, a British small press founded by translator and book designer Douglas Suttle in 2020. Douglas Suttle is now Editorial Director of Fum d'Estampa and works at Deep Vellum.
• Consortium Book Sales and Distribution (Ingram)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDeep Vellum's primary distribution partner. Books are distributed nationally through Consortium Book Sales, a division of Ingram, with headquarters at The Keg House, 34 13th Avenue NE, Suite 101, Minneapolis, MN 55413. International distribution via Ingram Content Group.
• Dalkey Archive PresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDalkey Archive Press is Deep Vellum's sister organization. Deep Vellum acquired Dalkey Archive Press, maintaining its catalog of experimental fiction and literature. Dalkey Archive Essentials Blog is hosted on the Deep Vellum website. Both organizations share the same mission of publishing socially engaged literature.
• City of Dallas Office of Arts and CultureminorOthersThe City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture supports Deep Vellum Poetry Programming, including the Poets of Dallas event at the annual festival.
• SMU English / Project PoëticaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMU English's Project Poëtica supports Deep Vellum Poetry Programming at the annual festival. Deep Vellum also announces partnership with SMU Project Poëtica for Central Track Poetry programming.
• Southwest ReviewminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthwest Review sponsors the festival kick-off night panel on Latin American literature in translation at Ruins, featuring the Southwest Review Editor-in-Chief Greg Brownderville moderating.
• K.Co PressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerK.Co Press partners with Deep Vellum's Kettle Art Reading Lounge during the annual festival. K.Co Press publishes books on Texas art, history, and culture, reflecting shared commitment to Dallas literary and artistic communities.
• The Wild Detectives (bookstore)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent bookstore, café, bar, and cultural venue in Dallas's Bishop Arts District. Owner Javier García del Moral participates in Deep Vellum festival events. The Wild Detectives hosts D-CLAIM's monthly residency. K.Co Press Reading Lounge event mentions Wild Detectives as a partner venue.
• Dallas Literary SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDeep Vellum partners with the Dallas Literary Society for the 'On Wandering' panel at the annual festival, co-presented with Dallas Literary Society.
• Undermain TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDallas theater venue hosting multiple festival events including EARLY RISERS morning readings, 1storypod live performance, and On Wandering panel.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)minorOthersNEA had previously awarded Deep Vellum a $20,000 grant (approved January 2025) for offsetting printing costs and compensating authors/translators for four titles. This grant was terminated by the Trump administration in May 2025.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• New Directions Publishing: Long-established independent literary publisher with deep translated-literature catalog and major award track record. Larger, commercially structured peer that overlaps Deep Vellum in translated fiction and competes for top international manuscripts.
• Seven Stories Press: Independent literary publisher with strong catalog in translated works, nonfiction, and politically engaged writing. Overlaps with Deep Vellum in translated literature and mission-driven editorial philosophy, though broader in scope.
• Soho Press: Independent literary publisher producing literary fiction, mystery, and translated works. Comparable catalog overlap in translated fiction and literary genre publishing, with broader commercial orientation than Deep Vellum.

Direct peers

• McSweeney's: Independent literary publisher known for literary fiction, poetry, and innovative publishing formats. Comparable independent spirit, literary catalog focus, and donor-supported operations in the nonprofit-adjacent literary publishing space.
• Graywolf Press: Nonprofit literary publisher known for literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from both American and international authors. Comparable in catalog philosophy, awards profile, and nonprofit-donor-driven operating model.
• Milkweed Editions: Nonprofit literary publisher based in Minneapolis producing literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translated works. Comparable nonprofit structure, mix of translated and original titles, and donor-supported operating model with similar staff scale.
• Restless Books: Nonprofit publisher dedicated to translated international literature, particularly from underrepresented regions. Mission-aligned peer focused on translation and cross-cultural dialogue, comparable in scale and nonprofit funding model.
• Archipelago Books: Nonprofit literary press focused exclusively on translated world literature. Closest US peer to Deep Vellum in translated-literature mission, scale, and nonprofit model — directly competing for rights, translators, and prestige awards in the same niche.
• Tin House Books: Independent literary publisher known for literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Comparable in catalog philosophy, awards recognition, and independent-press publishing model within the US literary nonprofit/independent landscape.
• Coffee House Press: Nonprofit literary publisher in Minneapolis with a mission-driven catalog spanning fiction, poetry, and essay. Deeply analogous nonprofit structure, catalog breadth, and reliance on donations, grants, and literary prize recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deepvellum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Deep Vellum Publishing