We are interested in contributions that engage with aspects of Wales’ political and cultural life.
The purpose of our publication is to share news and start discussion about Wales and those factors that influence what happens in Wales. We welcome debate, in-depth research pieces, response articles and op eds.
the welsh agenda has 4 strands:
- Politics and Policy Comment, analysis and debate on the issues that matter, by writers from various sectors and political perspectives
- People and Places Reflections on life as it is lived in all parts of Wales, and stories of Welsh lives across the world
- Voices Opinion pieces to open up conversation; a platform for diverse voices from Wales and beyond
- Culture Essays, interviews and reviews related to the arts, media and cultures of Wales.
We want the welsh agenda online and in print to be welcoming, inclusive and constructive spaces to discuss ideas that can make Wales better for its people and communities.
We believe that honest, open, thoughtful and provocative debate is necessary for Wales to thrive and continue to develop.
Below are the principles which guide the decisions we make when considering which articles or comments to publish on our platforms, to make it as clear and straightforward as possible for people to contribute.
What we publish
the welsh agenda online and in print are platforms for debate which:
- Share ideas and experiences between people from different walks of life to encourage inclusive discussion from a range of viewpoints
- Ensure that a variety of political viewpoints are represented and heard
- Inform, illuminate and support constructive discussion of ideas which can contribute to Wales’ future.
The ideas published through the welsh agenda online and the welsh agenda in print are those of the writers and contributors, and not necessarily the views of the IWA, its members or Board. We explain this at the end of each online article in our disclaimer.
How to get published
The best way to familiarise yourself with our style of publication and format is to read our principles and our other articles.
Our FAQ contains further information about additional documents and information you need to send with your article. For our house style guide, please click here.
Our editors are committed to providing a supportive, inclusive environment and we attempt to give all writers feedback and suggestions to edit their article.
Our editorial principles
- We welcome articles written in English.
- We look for articles which provide quality, clear analysis on issues relevant to Wales. We don’t accept advertorials or promotional pieces.
- We look for articles that are written in a style that is accessible to a general audience – usually between 900 and 1,200 words for the welsh agenda online, and 1,500 and 2,000 for the welsh agenda (print).
- When deciding what to publish, we consider factors such as: interest to our readers, timeliness, space available and the quality of writing.
- We are committed to providing an independent, inclusive, space for diverse opinions to be heard and constructive debate to take place. We will not publish articles or comments that we consider don’t support these aims.
- We are committed to furthering public debate. If you are engaging with or building on someone else’s ideas, please be explicit about this. Please also be upfront if you have a personal or professional involvement in the issue you are writing about.
- We want to host informed, intelligent debate. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their article and for obtaining approval to use information from third party organisations. We are a small team and we cannot fact check an article on your behalf, but if something seems obviously contestable we will ask you to evidence it. Providing hyperlinks to online sources of evidence when possible is best practice for citations. Please note that our website does not currently support footnotes/endnotes.
- If we think an article would benefit from specific edits, we will make suggestions and ask you to consider them.
- We will not publish articles which we consider are abusive, defamatory, harassing, hateful, obscene or threatening to another person and/or group.
- We won’t publish submissions which break the law or which we consider do not deal with matters of public interest. The author assumes all responsibility.
- At least two members of the IWA team will read an article before it is published.
- Please let us know if your article has been published elsewhere – we’ll be sure to give them credit if we publish the piece again.
- If you would like to republish an article that first appeared on the welsh agenda online, please get in touch with us to discuss this.
- We welcome people approaching us with articles and we consider each submission against our editorial policy. We can’t guarantee to publish everything submitted, but we will consider each article.
- We encourage debate and welcome responses to our articles. We offer the right of reply to articles published on our platforms, and will make sure these posts are linked to each other.
- While we offer a right of reply, please note that requests must be made within three months of publication.
Our editorial principles
- In the first instance, please feel free to contact us to discuss an article idea.
- Please let us know a bit about you as the author in just a line or so, and add your Twitter handle or website if you have one.
- We are a very small team. We try to answer emails within a few days, but sometimes it takes a little longer.
If an article has an inaccuracy and you spot it, let us know and we’ll put it right. We’ll also clearly mark the original inaccuracy in the updated copy.
Paid opportunities for writers
In 2024, we are pleased to announce that we are able to offer some paid opportunities for writers thanks to generous support from the Books Council of Wales. This funding allows us to pay for articles on a case by case basis, and is intended for freelance journalists and writers.
We would particularly like to hear from people at an early stage of their careers, and/or from writers coming from underrepresented and marginalised communities.
Please get in touch with us at [email protected] to discuss ideas for articles and check your eligibility. We will consider articles and pitches, and aim to provide feedback and support you through the editorial process. We are also open to articles that take a non-traditional approach to narrative and/or photography essays. At this stage, we can only publish articles in English under this scheme.
Please note that you will need to submit an invoice to us in pdf format and pay your own tax. A template is available here.
Complaints procedure
If you have a complaint about an article that has appeared on the welsh agenda online or in the welsh agenda, please email your complaint in writing to [email protected] marked Private and Confidential, with ‘FAO Director: COMPLAINT’ in the subject line.
- The nature of your complaint
- The title of the article with a URL and author’s name
- As much information as you can give that would enable our investigation to proceed smoothly.
We aim to be in touch to discuss your concern within 5 working days.
Please note that whilst we welcome feedback of all kinds on Twitter, through blogs and other digital media, we will always recommend complaints are sent to us officially at this address, so that they can be individually investigated and addressed. We will not respond to formal complaints on social media.