ECG held their “Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art Almanac” presentation at Yunus Emre Institute on Monday. Same venue where I met Marta Brassart at the Hertfordshire Awards in November. About twenty people. Intimate evening, poetry readings, Guild announcements.
Marta read her own poetry, which surprised me. I’d only known her as chairman and publisher. Hearing her work clarified why she responds to experimental structure and cross-cultural themes. She writes from similar positioning.
After the readings, Marat Akhmedjanov announced Guild plans for 2023. Two major festivals coming: Voices of Friends: Poetry and Art, and the Eurasian Film Festival. Several new member certificates awarded. Discussion of expanding the Guild’s publishing activities.
That’s when Marta pulled me aside. She’d been thinking about our November conversation about Polished Edges and the luxury industry angle. Wanted to discuss what ECG could offer in terms of publishing support and international distribution.
“Your background gives you access to stories others can’t tell,” she said again. This time with specific proposal: consider submitting future work through ECG’s publishing channels. They’re interested in multicultural contemporary fiction that comes from genuine cultural positioning, not work trying to be universally palatable.
We talked for an hour about cross-cultural publishing challenges. How to find audiences for work that doesn’t fit neat national literature categories. Which international markets respond to experimental structure. Whether the fragmented digital storytelling in my work translates across borders or requires specific cultural context.
What struck me: she’s not offering vague encouragement. She’s offering infrastructure. Editorial connections, distribution networks across Eurasia, festival platforms for emerging work. ECG runs literary competitions, publishes almanacs, organizes events in multiple countries.
Met several other writers at the event. Sebastian Dunn, John Farndon, poets from the Poezja Londyn collective. Everyone navigating similar territory. Writing between languages, trying to build audiences across borders.
Representatives from Belarus and Tajikistan embassies attended. Reminded me that ECG operates at intersection of culture and diplomacy. Not just literary organization. Network connecting creative professionals across entire Eurasian region.
Four months ago I was observer at ECG events. Now Marta’s discussing specific publishing pathways. The shift happened because she recognized something in Polished Edges that aligned with what ECG is building.
For emerging authors: small events matter as much as major conferences. Twenty people in a room, poetry readings, informal conversations after. That’s where real support structures form.
Posted from London, where intimate literary gatherings open practical doors.
— Writer Julia Zolotova
