BkMk Press
| Company type | Independent literary publisher |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Dan Jaffe |
| Headquarters | Kansas City , United States |
| Products | Poetry, fiction, and essay collections |
| Website | www |
BkMk Press operates as an independent literary publisher, previously connected with the University of Missouri-Kansas City, specializing in the release of full-length poetry, fiction, and essay collections. Established in 1971 by Dan Jaffe, the press was integrated within UMKC's College of Arts and Sciences from 1983 until it gained independence in July 2021. Its operations have been supported through grants and honors from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, Missouri Arts Council, Swedish Institute, Witter Bynner Foundation, and Kansas City Institute for Trusts and Foundations.
Among the distinguished writers published by BkMk Press are Mmbembe Milton Smith, Yehuda Amichai, Howard Schwartz, Alfred Kisubi, George Gurly, Sylvia Wheeler, and others. Recent titles have showcased contributions from Kelly Cherry, Alice Friman, Rane Arroyo, Carolyn Kizer, Tony Barnstone, and Mary Troy.
Annually, BkMk Press releases approximately six new titles and administers two yearly awards recognizing book-length manuscripts in English: the John Ciardi Prize for Poetry and the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize for Short Fiction.