[DOI:]
IMAGO.by
14.09.2025

Ilya Andreyeu
ORCID 0009-0006-0923-7591

Belarusan book publishing in emigration: transformation, challenges, and a new cultural landscape^*

The study examines the development of Belarusian book publishing in exile between 2020 and 2025 following increasing state pressure, censorship, and the liquidation of publishing structures in Belarus. It analyzes the emergence of new publishers and initiatives abroad, their organizational models, markets, distribution channels, and the growing role of digital and audio formats. The study also highlights the role of publishing in preserving Belarusian cultural identity and maintaining a common intellectual space for the diaspora.

Keywords: Belarusian publishing; publishing in exile; Belarusian diaspora; book market; cultural identity.

Introduction

Since 2020, Belarus’ publishing space has been under systematic pressure on the part of state structures. It is attested by liquidations of well-known publishing houses, the destruction of civic financing mechanisms (from crowd-funding to support from private companies), and reinforced censorship, which have resulted in vast self-censorship. In addition, presentations, independent events, and awareness-raising campaigns have been banned. Various threats have affected publishing houses, authors, and other professionals in the book sphere.

This notwithstanding, certain segments, in particular children’s and historical literature, continue to exist within the country. For security reasons, some aspects of the work of publishing houses in Belarus are not the focus of the study. Nonetheless, it can be said that certain forms of cooperation with publishing houses and specialists in Belarus are being preserved, but their intensity is gradually decreasing.

A new professional media field has appeared outside the country, including both professional publishing houses and author-based, community-based, and digital publishing initiatives.

Under new conditions, Belarusan publishers are faced with financial instability, self-censorship, loss of connection with the Belarusan market, a changing consumer structure, but also with new opportunities - cooperation with Polish and international organizations, work with digital formats, access to global marketing tools and platforms.

While at first, emigrational publishing houses relied on the traditions and experience of Belarusan book publishing, then during several years there arose a different cultural landscape that is segmented in a different way and that is more digital and flexible.

The purpose of the study is to analyze publishing activities in emigration as one of the key instruments for the preservation and development of Belarusan culture, as well as to identify possible scenarios for the development of this sphere in conditions of exile.

The methodology is based primarily on empirical analysis of the activities of publishing houses, public and private interviews with participants of the process, as well as analysis of publications of all publishers and initiatives presented abroad. Previous attempts of analysis are taken into account, as well as extensive statistical data (Annex №1).

Based on similar studies implemented by the Polish Book Institute, the study also proposes criteria that allow one to distinguish professional publishers from publishing initiatives, and also records short-term trends. However, it is necessary to take into consideration a number of limitations. Some of the essential information is confidential - it concerns circulations, reprints, expenses, sources of additional funding, and other private aspects of the activity.

Research chronological frames include 2020-2025.

Belarusan publishing houses and initiatives

Foundation kamunikat.org (Poland)
• Founded as an online library in 2000. As of 2025, the website features about 60,000 publications (digitized books in various formats, audiobooks, periodicals, videos, and more). https://kamunikat.org.
• 2018 — creation of the Foundation.
• 2021 — beginning of book publishing.
• It has published 50-55 books (the declared annual volume: about 15 editions).
• Profile: Belarusian literature (contemporary and classic), historical, reports, memoirs.
• https://kamunikat.shop (online store, more for 100 positions).

Lohvinau Publishing House (Lithuania)
• Founded in Minsk in 2000.
• 2013 — deprived of its license in Belarus.
• 2014 — restored its activity in Vilnius.
• Profile: contemporary Belarusian and translated literature.
• https://lohvinau.eu (only its own positions — about 50).
• publishes the philosophical and cultural journal Topos (European Humanities University, Lithuania).

Andrei Yanushkevich Publishing House (Poland)
• Founded in Minsk in 2014.
• 2022 — deprived of its license.
• 2023 — registration in Poland.
• 2024 — opened its offline bookstore Knihauka in Warsaw.
• It has published about 70 books.
• Book distribution via Allegro (238 positions), Empik (146 positions); since 2024 - an attempt to establish sales via Amazon (114 positions).
• Profile: world bestsellers and famous Belarusian authors.
• https://knihauka.com (online store, about 300 positions; 25 e-books).

Gutenberg Publisher / publishing house (Poland)
• Founded in March 2023 in Krakow.
• Profile: books by Belarusian authors and translations, children’s illustrated books, board games, historical maps.
• By 2025 — it published 47 books (the declared annual volume: 12–15 editions).
• Website-store: https://gutenbergpublisher.eu (online store, about 168 positions; 6 e-books)

Pflaumbaum Publishing House (Lithuania)
• Founded in 2019; the first books were published in 2020.
• Profile: fiction writing and non-fiction (all authors are women).
• From 2020 to 2025 – it published about 20 books.
• It has no online stores of its own; distribution through other publishers and bookstores.
• Social networks: https://www.instagram.com/pflaumbaum_publishing

Skaryna Press / publishing house (Great Britain)
• Started its activity in August 2022.
• Profile: fiction writing, non-fiction, feminist topics.
• Prepared about 30 editions.
• Online store: skarynapress.com/kniharnia
• https://skarynapress.com/kniharnia (online store, about 170 items; 25 e-books).

hochroth Minsk / publishing house (Germany)
• Opened in the beginning of 2023 as a branch of the German hochroth Verlag.
• Profile: Belarusian poetry (books are handmade, each copy is numbered; single design).
• Prepared about 20 books.
• https://www.hochroth.de/ (website and online store, only its own books).

Czabor Publishing / publishing house (Poland)
• Founded in 2023 in Warsaw (imprint "Skarynyčy").
• The first books were prepared in 2023. 7 books.
• Profile: wide (with a focus on non-fiction); wide cooperation with other publishers.
• It is difficult to evaluate the number of its own publications (meanwhile, distribution prevails).
• https://czabor.sumupstore.com (online store, about 40 positions, including books from Belarus).

Studio Magenta (Poland)
• From 2020 to 2025 - more than 20 published books.
• It proposes publishing services (by customers’ orders, without distribution).
• Profile: fiction writing, children’s literature.
• It has no online stores of its own; distribution through other publishers and bookstores.

Vesna Books / publishing house "Spring" (Prague)
• Founded in 2018.
• By 2025 - about 20 published books.
• Profile: fiction writing and non-fiction (authors’ and samizdat initiatives).
• https://vesnabooks.eu (website and online store, mainly its own books: more than 20 items).

Słowianka / publishing house (Poland, Warsaw)
• It works at the linguistic school Centrum Nauki Języków Słowianka.
• It started its publishing activities in 2023.
• Profile: children’s books. • https://slowianka.edu.pl/knihi (online store, as of 08/31/2025 - 9 children’s books).

Połackija Łabirynty / publishing house "Połacak Labyrinths" (Poland)
• Founded in 2022 in Poland. • By 2025 - no less than 5 published books.
• Profile: literature dedicated to the topic of political prisoners and human rights, translations of classics.
• Distribution through Allegro and Belarusian publishing houses.
• Social networks: https:// www.facebook.com/PolackijaLabirynty

Miane Niama / publishing house (Poland)
• Founded in September 2023 (project of the Literary Radio Foundation).
• It publishes books in the Belarusian and Russian languages.
• Profile: contemporary literature.
• https://mnnm.store (online store, as of 08/31/2025 — 5 books in Belarusian , 6 in Russian.)

Grunwald Publishing / publishing house (Canada)
• Founded in 2023 in Toronto.
• Prepared 7 books.
• Profile: translations of Belarusian literature into English (the goal is to make Belarusian literature accessible to English-speaking readers).
• Distribution through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Everand, Apple Books (in preparation).
• Website: https://grunwald.ca (online store).

Among publishing initiatives, it is worth mentioning: the Surma book brand (International Union of Belarusian Writers), ByProsvet (Poland), Koska (translated children’s literature), Knižny Vyraj (Poland), SayBeat (Czech Republic), the "33 Books for Belarus" initiative, Kasia on Parnassus, Anarchic Black Cross, Bald Skull, TAMAKA Publishing, and others.

It is obvious that a change of an organizational model or an essential expansion of one’s assortment may eventually change the place of these initiatives in the overall publishing structure.

Some books are published by organizations for whom this is not the main direction of activity. It requires separation from the actual publishing system. Among them, there are: the European Humanities University, the Center for Belarusian Culture in Bialystok (Poland), the Belarusian Historical Society (Poland), the Society for Belarusian Culture in Lithuania, the Belarusian Heraldic Society "Pahonia", Fundacja Prospect (Poland), Fundacja Białoruska Chrześcijańska Demokracja (Poland), the Biełarus Publishing House (USA), the Belarusian Institute of Science and Art (USA), and others.

Out of publishing projects, it is possible to separate publishing agencies, such as the aforementioned Studio Magenta (Poland), as well as the large Polish publishing agency Ekopress (Poland), which published several Belarusian -language publications.

The role of emigrational publishers as actors of Belarusian culture and media community

In terms of economic indicators, Belarusian publishing houses abroad remain micro-enterprises (according to Polish standards: up to 9 employees and an annual turnover of up to 2 million euros). Nevertheless, their activities occupy an important place in the cultural field: publishing houses become an organizational factor of self-identification and attachment to Belarusian culture.

Book releases, interviews with publishers, announcements and reports from exhibitions or presentations have a stable presence in the media space. Publishing activities contribute to the implementation of authors’ cultural potential and support a unified intellectual field of the diaspora.

The book becomes a basis for interdisciplinary practices: it inspires theater, illustrators, bloggers’ and media community, it is also an occasion for meetings — from authors’ evenings to book clubs.

It is worth mentioning the active participation of Belarusian publishing houses in book fairs and cultural events - both within the Polish cultural space and in the format of their own Belarusian initiatives. Among the most important Belarusian events, we underline the Belarusian intellectual book festival Pradmova, the cultural festivals Letucień (Krakow), Tutaka (Bialystok).

Segmentation of the market

The consumer market for Belarusian publications in emigration is being formed primarily by the latest wave of emigrants, Belarusian national minorities (including representatives of earlier emigrants), and to a lesser extent, readers who remain in Belarus.

The number of Belarusian s in emigration is estimated as 250–300 thousand people. According to statistics information, the largest group is in Poland, where as of 30 May 2025 there are about 144.5 thousand Belarusian s registered. In Lithuania, the Belarusian national minority is about 35 thousand people, but most of them are Russian-speaking. In Poland, the national minority numbers about 56.6 thousand people (according to data for 2021), who live compactly in Podlachia. According to the publishers, this group does not stand out in the geography of book distribution.

The demand for Belarusian books in emigration has its own specifics. Publications can be divided into translations and books by Belarusian authors. According to the publishers, there is a stable demand for classic Belarusian literature and translations of contemporary foreign literature.

Expectations of a widespread demand for children’s literature have not been met. Possible reasons include the high level of assimilation, as well as the relatively low level of use of the Belarusian language among immigrant communities.

Gutenberg Publisher has provided information on the distribution of sales in 2025: about 65% - Poland, 7% - Germany, 6% - USA, 5% - Lithuania, about 17% - other countries (the distribution has hardly changed since 2023). In publishing houses located in other countries, the distribution may differ, but for now Poland remains the main market. The share of books ordered: Belarus about 3-5%. The publishing house says that Belarus occupies a "third-fourth" place.

The condition and prospects of digital publishing products

Belarusian paper books in emigration often serve as a kind of cultural "merchandise." By buying them, even without reading them, the consumer feels a sense of belonging to the Belarusian cause. Electronic books in this context will lose: remaining "alone" with the reader and competing with other digital content, they do not often arouse interest. The modern Belarusian emigrant is not ready to dedicate his/her screen time to Belarusian texts.

Among the possible reasons for the low demand for e-books are (according to publishers): – conservatism of Belarusian society and a habit to have material carriers; – the absence of the tradition to perceive texts as a self-sufficient value.

New Belarusian e-books are offered mainly by publishing houses’ online stores. At the moment, only about 10-15% of new books are published in an e-book format, and in most cases they are not independent publications, but serve as an additional option to a paper book. A significant growth in e-books is expected in the next 1-2 years.

Audiobooks are showing better dynamics. According to the publishers, several hundred users can download them on the days of their premiere, and in a month the audience of one book reaches several thousand. The demand is obvious, but there is a problem of monetization: audiobooks are most often created on the basis of already prepared book editions and are not an independent format. At the same time, they partially take away the audience from paper books. Below are the initiatives that promote the publication of audiobooks.

audiobooks.by / аўдыякнігі.бел
• Audio publishing house and simultaneously a navigator among audiobooks in the Belarusian language;
• In addition to links to Belarusian publishing houses, it includes world platforms (Kobo, Google Play Books, Apple Books, Audiobooks.com, Spotify Audiobooks, etc.);
• Offers a mixed access model: some books are available for free, some are commercially available;
• As of 08.08.2025 - links to 691 books.

Knizhny Voz
• Audiobooks for children in the Belarusian language, the project is being implemented in cooperation with Belarusian publishing houses;
• Audiobooks for children in the Belarusian language;
• All content is available free of charge;
• Website: knizhnyvoz.com (As of 08.08.2025 - more than 120 entries).

Litaralna / Literally
• an initiative to create a library of Belarusian audiobooks with free of charge access;
• organized in November 2023;
• published 5 audiobooks (located on audiobooks.by; a separate page is planned).

A projected growth of digital book products could increase the efficiency of publishing, but not significantly. For example, the share of digital sales in Poland is about 15.5% of publishers’ revenue (the share of e-books is about 9%, audiobooks - 6.5%). At the same time, the state of e-books in Poland is more developed (a significant increase of revenues took place after the VAT on e-books was reduced in 2019 from 23% to 5%).

On the Polish market, e-books and audiobooks complement paper books, so new hits are being released simultaneously in three formats (paper, e-book, audiobook), moreover in average one in nine titles also has an audio version. Generally, the market is showing high growth, with digital sales leaders seeing revenues grow by up to 200% in 2022–2023.

Choice strategies. Elements of the general infrastructure

Belarusian publishing houses are deprived of the opportunities they had in the Republic of Belarus (bookstores, newspaper stands, profile shops, etc.) and have limited access to Polish markets. Therefore, the role of online sales for Belarusian publishers remains the main channel of sales (for the Polish book publishing market, 52% of books are sold online).

Participants of the publishing process — editors, proofreaders, translators, designers, illustrators — are usually hired on a contract basis and work remotely. This organizational model has become typical for most Belarusian publishing houses. As a result, the industry remains somewhat “closed”: it functions on the basis of personal connections and a limited circle of contacts; there are no open forms of searching for and inviting new specialists.

Belarusian books are more actively represented on allegro.pl, which also provides convenient delivery to some neighboring countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary). The Empik platform, thanks to the publishing house "Andrei Yanushkevich", also presents an assortment of other Belarusian publishing houses.

Both publishers and authors use the popularity of the crowd-funding platform Gronka (gronka.org).

Another form of joint financing of the Belarusian cultural space is Mahistrat (mahistrat.byculture.org), through which some support was provided to the Andrei Yanushkevich publishing house, as well as to the publication of individual books.

The Intellectual Book Festival "Pradmova" has resumed its activities outside Belarus since 2022 (in 2018–2020 it was held in Belarus). The event has gained high authority among publishers and authors and now is happening in cities various countries (Poland, Lithuania, Georgia, Germany, Czech Republic).

Since 2023, the "Institute of the Belarusian Book" initiative has been operating, aimed at promoting Belarusian books within the country and abroad, as well as at the general coordination of publishing processes and support for publishers (including legal and informational).

Since the beginning of their activities in emigration, Belarusian publishers have participated in book fairs, mainly in Poland.

Literary awards and competitions also have a positive impact on the popularization of authors, for example: contests named after Jerzy Giedroyc, Aleś Adamovič, Natalla Arsieńnieva, Francišak Alachnovič, Francišak Bahuševič, Carlos Sherman’s translation award, Ciotka, Michał Aniempadystaŭ (for the best cover), "Hliniany Viales", and others.

There is a noticeable institute of criticism: "Nasha Niva" (reviews by Zosia Łuhavaja), announcements and reviews on bellit.info, bookstores, bloggers, etc.

There are examples of cooperation with cultural structures, for example, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (translations of Polish-Belarusian classics), with Villa Decius in Krakow, and others.

There is quite close cooperation between publishers; ideas of horizontal cooperation between book publishing structures are being discussed for the sake of advocacy of general interests (creation of an association of publishers, logistical hubs, fulfillment centers, joint publications, etc.). However, the problem is the significant diversity of publishers, which leads to a lack of a common perspective or significant disagreements regarding this common perspective.

Indicators

The analysis of the publishing landscape allows us to suggest some parameters for activity based on data on the functioning of the Polish book market. The focus on Polish statistics is determined by the fact that today this is the main market for Belarusian books (according to major publishers, about 65%), as well as the place where the vast majority of Belarusian books are prepared and printed.

According to the latest reports on publishing in Poland (prepared by Biblioteka Analiz Sp. z o. o.), by the scale of activity, only 300–400 publishers publish more than 10 books annually, and less than 120 companies publish more than 50 books.

Thus, even large Belarusian publishing houses in emigration remain small, with only a few of them claiming (and sometimes achieving) the publication of 10 or more books per year.

At the same time, there are large Polish publishing houses that serve administrative needs (publishing specialized and educational literature). Mass consumer literature, children’s and teenage literature, makes up half of the Polish book market. In this regard, the Belarusian publishing landscape, due to the fact that it is formed in emigration, has a much lower share of specialized literature.

Outsourcing is becoming increasingly popular in many segments of the Polish market. This particularly applies to editorial work, proofreading, translations, and production processes. For digital book publishing, there even formed a separate market of professional services. There is also a tendency to outsource advertising, PR, and promotion services. This trend is also characteristic of Belarusian publishing houses, but in a less organized manner. Although, for example, design, illustration, preparation of e-pub, and SMM services are often performed by external specialists or services.

Among the indicators that can be assessed are: the number of books published, the declared annual volume (as an indicator of one’s potential), the availability of infrastructure (website, online store, other distribution channels), as well as approximate circulation.

A common feature of both Polish and Belarusian publishing sectors is the lack of accurate statistics on production, primarily on circulations. According to estimates by major Belarusian publishers, the average circulation of a book is from 500 to 1,000 copies. For comparison, in Poland this figure is slightly more than 2,000 copies on average.

As for bestsellers, for Belarusian publishers their circulation is estimated as 2–3 thousand copies. On the Polish market, bestsellers reach tens, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of copies.

The number of positions published abroad from 2020 to September 2025 is about 420 positions. Out of them, about 370 are published by publishers; about 50 books are published by publishing initiatives (including self-published works (samizdat) and publications by non-profile organizations).

Belarusian publishing houses in exile print books mainly in Belarusian , although there are also publications in Russian and Polish. At the same time, the distribution of Russian-language products remains uneven: a number of publishing houses refuse to publish in Russian. In Belarus, the situation is different: only about 13% books are in Belarusian (together with educational publications, data for 2024).

As for translated editions of Belarusian authors into other languages, they are, with rare exceptions, published by non-Belarusian publishing houses that have a stable audience. Polish-language books are published by Belarusian publishing houses in very limited numbers. High competition on the Polish book market significantly limits the opportunities for Belarusian publishers to enter this segment.

Changes that may affect the Polish book market, which Belarusian publishers should take into account: – a discussion to reduce the VAT on books down to 0%; – a possibility of introducing a bill on book pricing and fixed prices for publications is being considered (the practice of sales leads to inflated initial prices, which is considered a negative factor).

Printing in China remains cost-effective for large print runs and sufficient lead times. It is also convenient when it is necessary to divide the print run into batches and arrange for their delivery to different countries.

General theses and trends

Formation and dynamic of the sphere
• Belarusian publishing houses in emigration remain in a stage of their formation. There is an increase of the number of initiatives (often without investments and economic calculations).
• Several large publishers provide about 80–85% of the market.
• Belarusian -language publications prevail.
• Relocation (mostly a forced one) becomes a part of publishing strategies, which allows one to avoid censorship and to work more securely.

Institutional forms and division It is possible to highlight four main types:
• publishing houses with wide infrastructure,
• publishing agencies,
• initiatives DIY / “samizdat”,
• other publishers (for whom their books are not the main kind of their activities).

Many projects have hybrid forms and are on the stage of developing their model.

Infrastructure, distribution, "social" financing
• Publishers often perform the role of distributors; larger ones sell books of other publishers.
• Belarusian books are present on allegro.pl, amazon.pl, empik.pl.
• The Internet is the main channel of sales.
• The share of e-books is low (about 10-15%), but growth is being expected.
• There is no market of second hand books.
• There is no fulfillment as a service; publishers solve logistics individually.
• The usage of crowd-funding, support through "Mahistrat", pre-orders.

Market and demand
• Basics markets are: Poland, the emigration of the "latest wave".
• Growth of demand on "light" formats.
• Children’s books have limited demand.
• National minorities show their low interest in new Belarusian books.

Analytics and prospects
• Absence of accurate statistics; analysis of the Belarusian book market is carried out in a fragmented manner.
• It is necessary to develop a methodology of monitoring (a number of publications, circulations, average costs, infrastructure, participation in fairs, etc.).
• It is necessary to translate statistical reports on the functioning of European book markets (primarily – Polish one).
• It is necessary to create an automated book catalog (a "library" or "commercial" one); it would significantly increase the transparency and possibilities of the analysis.
• The development of the audiobook market seems to be promising.
• It is necessary to lobby Belarus’ interests at international book fairs, including when purchasing copyrights.
• It is necessary to create a coordination center of publishers (an association of publishers) or to development such functions at the Institute of the Belarusian Book.
• The acute question is how - without risks – to "open" the market inside Belarus.
• It is necessary to develop a list of key works of world literature that should be translated into Belarusian – as a prestige project and as an element of forming the national literary canon.
• It is necessary to create convenient forms of presenting Belarusian literature "for export": to prepare ready-made translations of texts or their fragments for foreign publishers and readers.
• Development of modern forms of promotion: cooperation with bloggers, use of book trailers (short promotional videos), as well as to involve famous people (celebrities), especially significant for the youth audience, to recommend books.

The research shows an overall picture, but it has revealed a fundamental possibility of a more accurate analysis based on statistics and surveys. With the systematic nature of such studies, it will be possible to identify the dynamics of processes: the number of positions published outside Belarus for each year (with a possibility of structuring them according to a number of characteristics), an approximate number of circulations, a ratio of the number of books to the number of emigrants and Belarusian diaspora abroad, qualitative changes in the publishing infrastructure (bookstores, online stores, libraries with Belarusian books, participation in book events, etc.).

In Belarus, there has traditionally been a clear division between state-run and "independent" publishing houses. Abroad, where the book business is predominantly private, the concept of an "independent publishing house" requires rethinking: for such initiative the main thing is not a commercial aspect, but the preserving of one’s own concept. The process of separating "independent" ones from commercially oriented publishing houses is not yet complete and is in the stage of conceptualization. Some publishers, who used to have high indices in Belarus, are now going through a stage of relocation, reorganization, and search for new models of functioning.

Annex №1. Sources

1. Narodowy Bank Polski. Sytuacja życiowa i ekonomiczna migrantów z Białorusi w Polsce w 2024 r. Raport z badania ankietowego, https://nbp.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Raport_Imigranci_z-Bialorusi-2024-PL-DS-2024- WWW.pdf [visited 21.08.2025].
2. Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców. Raport na temat obywateli Białorusi (wg stanu na 30 kwietnia 2025 r.), https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/raport-dot-obywateli-bialorusi [visited 21.08.2025]
3. Report. The Polish Book Market 2024, Biblioteka Analiz and the Polish National Library, https://instytutksiazki.pl/en/polish-book-market,7,reports,18,polish-book-market-2024,52.html [visited 02.09.2025]
4. Serwis e-ISBN, www.e-isbn.pl
5. Online bookstore https://kirma.sh
6. Alaksiej Łastoŭski, Belarusian book publishing: condition and requests of book publishers (based on a series of surveys conducted in March-May 2023), 15/10/2023, https://palityka.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Books-Lastouski-2023-2.pdf [visited 30.08.2025]
7. "It is fundamental": The Institute of the Belarusian Book is created in Warsaw, https://budzma.org/news/instytut-belaruskay-knigi.html [visited 19.08.2025]

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^* This text was produced with the financial support of the European Union and the project Scholars for Belarus by akno e.V. The views and opinions expressed in the text do not reflect the official position of the European Union or Scholars for Belarus by akno e.V.
V. B. contributed to the preparation of this article.