site.btaCulture Ministry to Fund Bulgarian Libraries with BGN 2 Mln

Projects to encourage reading, media literacy and Bulgarian libraries' capacity will be financed with nearly BGN 2 million from the State budget, Deputy Culture Minister Amelia Gesheva told journalists at a Children's Book National Festival in Sliven on Friday.

"The Ministry of Culture is preparing several programmes which will be submitted to public consultation within a month," Gesheva said. National, regional and municipal libraries will be eligible as beneficiaries. The idea is to improve contacts between Bulgarian authors and the public in small settlements. The libraries' capacity will be supported and upgraded with additional equipment to make them attractive places for young people. The Deputy Minister sees libraries as not only meant to be treasure troves of literature but also as cultural and community centres. "Sliven is one example of this," she added.

Applying for the programme will be entirely online. "There is also an open programme for both authors and translators," Gesheva said.

According to the Ministry of Culture, support for Bulgarian cultural institutes is especially strong this year, Gesheva said. The subsidies for museums and libraries have been increased by 18%, she specified.

In her words, the Children’s Book National Festival in Sliven has a future and will be one of the most sustainable initiatives. "Children and young people are an asset worth investing in," the Deputy Minister said. She presented the 2024 Konstantin Konstantinov National Award for overall contribution to children's book publishing to writer Tsveta Brestnichka at a ceremony in Sliven on Thursday.