500,000 PLN for Kraków’s book stores and second-hand bookshops. Bookstore Fund of Kraków UNESCO City of Literature calls for applications

The fund, which is a follow-up to the Immune Bookshops programme that has been running since 2020, is aimed at independent book stores characterised by high-quality, diverse and unique fiction offering. The support is available to places, which are involved in Krakow’s cultural life and pursue the strategic goals of the Kraków UNESCO City of Literature programme. All terms and conditions of the call can be found in the relevant document – [LINK].

‘Book stores mean a great deal to the cultural and literary identity of Krakow,’ says Aleksander Miszalski, Mayor of the City of Kraków. ‘That is why we were keen to continue a programme that offers them direct support. Last year, 16 book stores and three second-hand bookshops took advantage of the funding provided by the Bookstore Fund of Kraków UNESCO City of Literature. This year, the total budget of the fund is 500,000 PLN. We are hoping that with the increased funding, more book stores in need will submit their applications.

The Bookstore Fund of Kraków UNESCO City of Literature is a lighthouse project carried out within the framework of the Kraków UNESCO City of Literature programme, which is run by the Krakow Festival Office,said Carolina Pietyra, director of the Krakow Festival Office. ‘The fund has a real impact on the shape of the book market in Krakow, since the entities that make the cut will be able to take advantage not only of additional promotion, but also on support in the form of literary meetings that will enrich their offering.’