Assembly Press and Brick Books are delighted to share the news that we are merging operations. Our decision to do so is rooted in care: we’ll be able to better support our authors and their books as a more operationally resilient publishing house that is better set to achieve long-term sustainability.
Each press will maintain editorial independence; Leigh Nash and Alayna Munce will continue to serve as publishers of their respective presses, while current Brick Books CFO Brenda Leifso will pursue a career outside publishing.
Assembly Press was founded in 2023 by Leigh Nash, Andrew Faulkner, and Debby de Groot as a fiercely independent publisher of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Assembly has already built a reputation of placing Canadian writing in conversation with literature by international authors.
Founded in 1975 by Stan Dragland and Don McKay, Brick Books is one of the few poetry-only publishers in the world and a venerated member of Canada’s publishing industry. Alayna Munce and Brenda Leifso took over the press from long-time general manager Kitty Lewis in 2020. Together with their committed staff and editorial collective, they have solidified Brick Books as a lauded home for poets and lovers of poetry.
“This merger is the best path forward for both presses to continue to be innovative, independent and flexible while retaining our individual identities, and it will absolutely allow us to operate more competitively in the trade market. Assembly Press shares the same values as Brick Books, and we both believe in the future of Canadian poetry, and in a strong independent Canadian publishing sector.”—Leigh Nash, Publisher, Assembly Press
“I have watched the growth of Assembly Press with admiration. Their operations are smart, author-centred, and grounded in ethics and authenticity. I can’t imagine a better partner as we navigate this challenging market.” —Alayna Munce, Publisher, Brick Books
Contact: Debby de Groot, debby@assemblypress.ca