Pitching for Burum Collective 2025 is now open!

As we roll up to our 5th (!) year of running Burum Collective we are thrilled to say our inboxes are open again for commissions!

This year we’ve chosen cider as our theme, specifically The Future of Cider. As we ourselves figure out how our work and choices can support the cider industry we want to start a bigger, communal conversation on what is in store for the future of cider. What will UK cidermaking look like in 10, 50, 100 years time? What is needed to help preserve cider and what changes are required to ensure the cider community continues to grow? How will technology aid cider and how can tradition develop, what will be “traditional” in another century's time? Who does tradition serve and how does it change?  Will cider still look and taste the same if the UK continues as it is?

Sounds like something you want to get involved in? Great! Here’s how:

Quickfire FAQ!

I have a pitch! Where do I send it? rachel@burumcollective.com

How long are pitches open? We will be accepting pitches until the end of March, so that’s the 31st March 2025. Don’t walk, run!

What should my pitch include? Your name, the best way to contact you, a brief description of the idea you have and some indication that you have read this page and know what Burum Collective is about.

Do I need to have professional writing/illustrative experience to pitch? No! Consider this an active encouragement to pitch if you’ve always wanted to create something but never been sure how. We’ve been there and we know how daunting it can be, we promise to treat your ideas with the respect they deserve. 

I would love to pitch but I don’t want to be traced back to my place of work, is there an option for anonymous contributions? Absolutely, yes. Just let us know in your initial pitch. 

What are the rates? Written pieces of work will be up to 1000 words and paid £225

When will I hear back? Pitches for close at the end of March and we promise to get back to everyone (with constructive feedback!) by the end of April. Please be patient with us and please do not chase us for a response within this timeframe, you’ll just go to the back of the queue and to be honest we’ll be less likely to want to work with you. 

I haven’t worked in cider but I have lots of ideas, can I still pitch? Whilst we prefer some experience we will also take well researched and thought out ideas so, yes, take your chance, shoot your shot!

Writers: What to Pitch

We’re interested in any of our ideas that could relate to cider’s future whether it be via orchards, fruit, pubs and packaging formats. As always the weirder and more imaginative the better. They can take into account climate change, government policy, land ownership, pub demographics, labels, tasting notes or genetics. What is happening now that could affect cider in the future? What is a current trend that could shift into tradition? Who gets to make cider now and will that be the case in another two or three decades? How will taste evolve as the planet does? 

Writers: How to Pitch

Send an email to rachel@burumcollective with PITCH: The Future of Cider as the subject heading. Please include:

  • Your name

  • Your contact details

  • A little bit about you 

  • A brief description of the topic you would like to write about and the form you see it taking

  • Any other information you feel would be useful for us to know

We will get back to you by the 1st of May 2025

Rates, Timelines and Logistics

Written pieces of work will be max 1000 words and paid £225. All writers will be commissioned by the 1st May 2025. The deadline for written first drafts will be the 30th June 2025.

Please invoice alongside your first draft. All invoices will be paid within one month of being received. All written work will be edited by Rachel and any feedback/edits will be provided by 31st July 2025. 

Publication is currently scheduled for Autumn 2025. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Helen & Rachel x