Support for Entrepreneurship in Publishing and Book Trade
Due to the prolonged crisis in the publishing and the book trade sectors, the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship has prepared a special Call in 2017 dedicated to strengthening the entrepreneurial activities in these fields. The aim of the measure was to assist publishers and bookstores in developing immediate measures for safeguarding the book distribution chain throughout the country.
The Call for Support for Entrepreneurship in Publishing and Book Trade that was issued in 2017 was oriented at support tor:
a) new employment in the sector;
b) marketing activities (with the special focus on new media activities);
c) implementation of new technologies in the sector oriented primarily at supporting the opening of web shops; and
d) other activities – mainly covering technical and material costs related to the refurbishments of bookstores.
The measure supported 45 projects in the field of publishing and book trade – the majority of funding was allocated to ‘Other activities’ – 34% that were mainly oriented to refurbishment of the existing bookshops and opening of new ones throughout Croatia; starting up of the travelling bookstore; as well as for supporting the purchase of equipment for selected bookshops. Furthermore, 31% of the support was allocated to implementation of new technologies such as opening of web shops; 23% of funding was allocated to new employment in the sector – for salaries of newly opened bookstores; and 12% of funding was allocated to marketing activities, concentrating primarily on the activities in new media.
The results of the measure indicate for the need on continuous support of such activities not only in publishing and book trade sector, but in other cultural sectors.
In 2017 the Government has allocated 4 million Kuna (approx.533 333 EUR) for the implementation of the measure.