Latvian Literature platform urges government to keep supporting publication of Latvian literary works abroad

RIGA - The Latvian Literature platform has called on the Cabinet of Ministers to keep providing financial support for the publication of Latvian literary works in foreign countries, the platform’s representatives told LETA.

An outdoor advert with the Latvian Literature platform’s appeal to the government has been placed at a public transport stop near the Culture Ministry’s building on Valdemara Street to launch the campaign #donotend inviting the public to express their support and raise awareness of the necessity for continued government support.

The platform’s head Inga Bodnarjuka-Mrazauskas said that for now there is certainty about an annual allocation of EUR 72,000, which is not enough to continue the work of the past three years.

“The outdoor advert is an illustrative example of what can be done with the financing available to us at the moment, which is very little. A single outdoor advert or one person’s presence at the Latvian nation stand in an international book fair is not enough to achieve a result,” said Bodnarjuka-Mrazauskas.

There will be little use of the current funding if Latvian Literature cannot maintain regular communication with partners, if there are no visits by publishers, media or festival representatives, if no support is provided to publishers and translators and authors cannot participate in festivals and international programs, the head of the platform said.

At a government meeting on August 23, ministers are expected to decide on prioritized measures planned in Latvia’s 2020 budget, including a EUR 277,000 extra allocation to the Latvian Literature platform.

To maintain the platform’s work at the level of the past three years the annual funding should be EUR 455,000, according to the platform’s estimates.

Latvian Literature is a platform founded four years ago with its main aim to prepare Latvia for the London Book Fair 2018 when all three Baltic states were participating as the Market Focus countries.