This is an open letter to urge Oxford University Press to reverse their decision to discontinue the Oxford Almanack, which has been published continuously since 1676. If you wish to sign, please fill the form below and do circulate it to any friend or colleague who might be interested, whether they are members of the University or not.

The letter will be sent to the Vice-Chancellor, the Delegates of Oxford University Press, and the Secretary to the Delegates (Chief Executive). Thank you!

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We write to express our dismay at the decision to discontinue the publication of the Oxford Almanack, and to urge Oxford University Press to resume its production. Some of the signatories are members of the University, others are not. But we all ask you to reverse this decision, taken with neither prior consultation nor public announcement, which put an end to one of the oldest continuous annual publications in the world.

The Almanack, was first published in 1674 and had been continuously published since 1676. It is an unbroken record of the life of the University in all its complexity, as well as an important showcase for artists from all over the country. One of J M W Turner’s first major public successes was a commission for the Almanack; his famous painting of the High Street, acquired in 2015 by the Ashmolean for an estimated £3,5 million, was commissioned on the strength of the result. More recently, the Almanack has been illustrated by distinguished British artists such as John Piper, David Gentleman, and Sir Hugh Casson.

Yet it was decided in 2019 to discontinue the publication of the Almanack due to what was described as “dwindling interest”. No public announcement of the decision was made, and there was no attempt to quantify the extent of the dwindling in interest. No effort was made to promote the Almanack, even though the demand for Oxford memorabilia remains strong. In fact, OUP has not actively promoted the Almanack for several years before its discontinuation, which makes any decline in interest unsurprising.

In a collegiate university of almost fifty autonomous entities, the Almanack, a ubiquitous part of the décor, contributed to a sense of institutional belonging. For a college to be featured has always been a source of pleasure for its members, one which the newer foundations will never experience if the decision is upheld.

In an age where so much is fleeting, and at a time when artists are coming under unbearable strain, it is surely worthwhile to attempt to preserve those small institutions that have stood the test of time.  

With best wishes,