Literature Wales

[1] It offers bursaries for writing projects, runs literary events and lectures, and provides financial assistance for creative mentoring and other literary-based ventures.

The Academi was initially formed as a Welsh language society in 1959, following a public discussion between Robert Maynard Jones and the poet Waldo Williams.

[2] An English-language section was added in 1968 through the initiative of the editor and linguist Meic Stephens in his capacity as literature director of the Welsh Arts Council.

It also administers the National Poet for Wales post (Gwyneth Lewis – 2005, Gwyn Thomas – 2006), Bardd Plant Cymru (Gwyneth Glyn); the Welsh-language Children's Laureate joint scheme between S4C, The Welsh Books Council, Literature Wales and Urdd Gobaith Cymru, and in 2005, administered the Cardiff Capital Poet project (Gillian Clarke).

The organisation of the awards presentation of the Academi's Wales Book of the Year competition 2008 was criticised after then Culture Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas announced the wrong winner, although it was a simple mistake.