The Mechanics' Institute Review is Birkbeck, University of London's annual anthology of short fiction by emerging and established writers from across the UK.

The Mechanics' champions the short story as an art form, promoting inclusivity, diversity and opportunity while publishing new work of the highest possible standard. It has received critical acclaim from the Guardian, Independent, TLS and Time Out, and endorsements from Ali Smith, Damian Barr, Geoff Dyer, Tessa Hadley and Courttia Newland among many others. We have been privileged to feature more than 40 guest authors over the years, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Evie Wyld via Zoe Gilbert, Jackie Kay, Rose Tremain and David Foster Wallace, to name but a prize-winning few.

The theme of this issue is Climate, not just in terms of meteorology and the environment but also social, political, financial - a whole range of creative interpretations.

Guest authors will include Jean McNeil and Richard Hamblyn, and the foreword will be by Julia Bell