More changes to the Malta Book Fund: applications are now open for 2024

  1. Kunsill Nazzjonali Tal-Ktieb
  2. Funds
  3. Malta Book Fund
  4. More changes to the Malta Book Fund: applications are now open for 2024




Posted on March 25, 2024

The National Book Council (KNK) has opened applications for the Malta Book Fund 2024, which this year has some structural changes in order to better serve its objectives and widen the types of eligible projects. This fund, with a total amount of €120,000, has two main ways that finance both the publication, as well as the translation and export of books.

The KNK developed this fund to foster cultural growth in the local book market, as part of its vision to take on the role of a cultural agent within society while proactively contributing to the cultural, educational and intellectual development of society.

The Malta Book Fund 2024 now consists of five types of grants:

  1. Publishing Grants for New Books;
  2. Publishing Grants for New Editions of Out-of-Print Works;
  3. Translation and Exports Fund – Category 1 – Translation and Export of Books by Maltese Authors
  4. Translation and Exports Fund – Category 2 – Book Translation Pitch Grants (Sample Translation)
  5. Translations into Maltese

The Publishing Grants for New Books aim to encourage the publication of quality literature and/or research works. The allocated sum is €50,000. Ambitious projects of high cultural value and relevant to their target local market, especially if such projects lack commercial viability, are given priority.

The Publishing Grants for New Editions of Out-of-Print Works aim to provide a bridge between the need to read classic books of cultural, educational and intellectual importance to society and their lack in bookstores, with the specific aim of subsidizing the publication of new editions of books that are currently out of print and that were last published at least 20 years from the date of issue this Fund. The sum allocated for these grants is €10,000.

The Translation and Export Fund now includes two categories. The first one supports translation projects of Maltese works (published in Maltese or in English in Malta, and having a Maltese ISBN) into any other language, with an annual budget allocation of €40,000. Among the new eligible projects in this branch are those of anthologies that have an original fictional or non-fictional work by one or more Maltese authors, and also the publication of Maltese works in English (having a Maltese ISBN) in new territories where English is spoken and where translation is generally not needed from start to finish (rights will be sold).

The second category is the book translations pitch grants, which aim to support the translations of excerpts of Maltese works published in Maltese or in English with a Maltese ISBN for any another language; the translations of works published in any language into Maltese; the translation of works originally published in any language with the intention that the translated part of them will be used as a bridge translation in English. The allocation for these grants is €5,000. Applicants must ensure that the copyright holder is identified in the application, which identification includes the pitch itself. The application must also include a letter of agreement from the author of the text or the copyright holder of the text being translated.

All of the grants within the Malta Book Fund adhere to the provisions of the Writers’ Charter of Economic Rights. The grants will be awarded to successful applicants following a competitive adjudication process. A specially appointed adjudication board evaluates each project to ascertain both the value of the project and its funding requirements.

Interested applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines and regulations of the respective grants carefully, for information relating to eligibility and the evaluation process before applying. All grants awarded may support up to 100% of the proposed project up to a maximum of €5,000 for all grants,  except for the Book Translation Pitch Grants which has a maximum of €500 per pitch proposal.

The guidelines and regulations, together with the application form and other relevant information, can be accessed and downloaded from the Malta Book Fund webpage. 

The order of classification of applications submitted will be published within six weeks of the application deadline.

The call for applications closes on Friday 24 May at noon.

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