diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index fe7f6092ba05137222cbae59260a521f82a08001..9c73204cdb1d1c16040435ce35e0d88323583880 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Overview of changes in 1.56.1, 18-01-2025
+=========================================
+- Avoid criticals when there are no fonts
+- fontconfig: Handle lack of FC_FONT_WRAPPER in font cache
+- fontconfig: Prefer application fonts even if they are older
+
 Overview of changes in 1.56.0, 09-01-2025
 =========================================
 - Support setting font features in font descriptions
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 87986c59781af869cded47c65b3df656d6530845..9cd9026daccfc6fcac71e90fe68f6af5d40c49a1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('pango', 'c', 'cpp',
-        version: '1.56.0',
+        version: '1.56.1',
         license: 'LGPLv2.1+',
         default_options: [
           'buildtype=debugoptimized',