Malta Book Fund 2026 Opens with Increased Budget Allocation and New Categories for Ebook and Audiobook Production

The National Book Council (NBC) is pleased to announce that applications for the Malta Book Fund 2026 are now open.

This year, the Fund has been allocated an increased budget of €154,000, which includes the introduction of two new strands aiming to incentivise a more diverse publishing environment.

The Malta Book Fund is issued annually across different categories for eligible submissions at project stage. Since its inception in 2015, it has played an important role in fostering cultural growth in the local book market by funding publications and supporting publishers and authors throughout their projects.

For the 2026 edition, the Fund is structured into seven grant categories:

1. Publishing Grants for New Books (€55,000) – Supports the publication of high-quality literature and research works, prioritising ambitious projects with significant cultural value that may not be commercially viable.

2. Publishing Grants for New Editions of Out-of-Print Works (€10,000) – Facilitates the re-publication of culturally, educationally, or intellectually significant books that have been out of print for at least 20 years from the current edition of the Fund.

3. E-book Publishing Grants (€3,000) – Supports the publication of books in digital format (published in Maltese or English with a Maltese ISBN) – which includes a) new books published directly in digital format and/or b) previously printed books which are to be made available in digital format.

4. Audiobook Publishing Grants (€6,000) – Supports the publication of books in audio format – (published in Maltese or English with a Maltese ISBN) which includes new books published directly in audio format and/or previously printed books which are to be made available in audio format.

5. Translation and Export Grants Category 1: Grants for the Translation and Export of books by Maltese authors (€50,000) – Funds translation projects of works by Maltese authors (published in Maltese or English with a Maltese ISBN) into other languages, including anthologies featuring original Maltese fiction or non-fiction and the publication of English-language Maltese works in new markets.

6. Translation and Export Grants Category 2: Book Translation Pitch Grants (€5,000) – Supports the translation of excerpts from Maltese works into other languages, to be used as a pitch.

7. Grants for Translations into Maltese (€25,000) – Encourages the translation of works originally published in other languages into Maltese, promoting accessibility and cultural exchange.

All grants within the Malta Book Fund adhere to the Writers’ Charter of Economic Rights.

Successful applications may receive up to 100% of the proposed project budget, but which shall not exceed the following maximum;

• €5,000 for projects submitted to Categories 1, 2, 5, and 7;
• €2,000 for projects submitted to Category 4;
• €1,500 for projects submitted to subcategory 3a and €1,000 for projects submitted to subcategory 3b; and
• €500 for projects submitted to Category 6.

Key Changes for 2026

As from this year, the fund will include two new categories: E-book Publishing Grants and Audiobook Publishing Grants. In response to advances in digital publishing, the NBC has allocated €3,000 for the publication of new ebooks and €6,000 for new audiobook projects.

These grants cover expenses related to digital publication, including writing software and formatting tools for e-books, and narration fees and recording costs for audiobooks, in addition to authors’ fees, illustration, proofreading, and distribution.

To further support applicants interested in these formats, the NBC will organise workshops later in the year led by professional trainers and industry experts. These sessions will focus on best practices and the latest tools for producing high-quality e-books and audiobooks. 

€19,000 Increased Budget Allocation: The total fund has increased from €135,000 to €154,000, with additional funds allocated as follows:

+€5,000 for Translation and Export Grants Category 1: Grants for the Translation and Export of books by Maltese authors

+€5,000 for Grants for Translations into Maltese

+€3,000 for E-book publishing Grants

+€6,000 for Audiobook Grants

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Malta Book Fund webpage to view the complete guidelines and regulations. All applications are to be submitted via Submittable by clicking on this link.

Any queries related to the Malta Book Fund should be sent to Matthew Borg on matthew.borg@ktieb.org.mt

The call for applications closes on 19 May 2026, at noon. Results will be announced on 17 July 2026.