Italy's Culture Ministry launches €4M grant for under-35 indie bookstores

The Italian Ministry of Culture, under Minister Alessandro Giuli, has published a call for applications for a €4 million fund to support the opening of independent bookstores by individuals aged 35 or younger. The fund, established in October 2025, prioritizes projects in disadvantaged inland areas or municipalities lacking bookstores and state libraries. Grants cover up to €24,000 per applicant, with an additional €1,000 for training and mentorship. Applications must be submitted via certified email by 3:00 PM on September 13, 2026. Eligible applicants include individuals or groups who have opened a bookstore after June 30, 2024 (or after December 30, 2023 if located in a municipality with no other bookshop), or plan to open one within 180 days of approval. One million euros of the fund is reserved for bookstores in municipalities without any existing bookshop. Applicants must have been under 35 as of December 28, 2024. Eligible activities include retail sale of books, newspapers, and stationery, as well as book publishing. Allowable expenses include renovation, shelving, security systems, digitalization, and administrative costs. The initiative is part of the Piano Olivetti per la Cultura, which recently launched the Premio Olivetti for cultural accessibility.