Cirrus@Austlit

'It has been a tough couple of months, led by the (very abrupt) announcement of the closure of Five Mile and Bonnier Australia. What the Bonnier situation - and others - throws into sharp relief for many younger professionals in this industry is how elusive job security is, and even when those opportunities present themselves, how difficult it can be to balance early-career wages with high costs of living. In the three-and-a-half years I've been at Books + Publishing, I've seen a number of talented people leave publishing to work in adjacent fields or to start anew entirely. Burnout is real, and younger arts workers are increasingly talking openly about the viability of their careers. To this end, it was pleasing to see the ABIAs recognise the achievements of this industry's younger cohort with the launch of the Rising Star award. Recognition might not be able to fix things, but it's a start.' (Jackie Tang : Editorial introduction)