Circulation of European literary works

The CREA-CULT-2026-LIT funding opportunity is part of the Creative Europe Programme, focusing on the transnational circulation of European literary works. This initiative aims to support projects that involve the translation, publication, distribution, and promotion of fictional works. The funding type is a lump sum grant, allowing organizations to receive predefined amounts based on specified deliverables rather than reimbursement of costs. A total budget of €5 million is allocated for 2026, with the expectation of funding around 40 projects, each averaging approximately €125,000.

Eligible applicants include cultural organizations involved in the book sector such as publishers, literary translators, libraries, and booksellers. Both individual entities and consortia are allowed to apply, providing flexibility in the application structure. Geographic eligibility extends to EU member states and associated countries, with a particular emphasis on fostering circulation for works from less commonly translated languages. Notably, special provisions are highlighted for Ukraine, reflecting the EU's commitment to support its literary community amidst the ongoing crisis.

Projects should focus on post-creation activities like commercialization and distribution rather than early development. The single-stage application process opens on October 15, 2025, with a deadline for submissions by January 29, 2026. Evaluation criteria will assess relevance, quality of content and activities, project management, and dissemination potential, all requiring a passing score for funding consideration. Projects must also align with EU priorities such as green practices, digital innovation, and inclusivity.

Through this funding opportunity, the program seeks to enhance the accessibility of European literature to diverse audiences, supporting fair remuneration for translators and encouraging collaborations across the literary ecosystem. Applicants are encouraged to develop comprehensive proposals addressing these goals while adhering to specified guidelines and deadlines.

The EU Funding Opportunity CREA-CULT-2026-LIT focuses on the Circulation of European Literary Works. This call falls under the Creative Europe Programme and aims to support projects that translate, publish, distribute, and promote European works of fiction. The type of action is CREA-LS, which stands for CREA Lump Sum Grants. The indicative budget for this call is 5,000,000 EUR for the year 2026.

The call adopts a single-stage submission model. The opening date for submissions is 15 October 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is 29 January 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected impact of this action is to support approximately 40 projects. These projects can be implemented by a single entity (mono-beneficiary) or by a consortium of organizations (multi-beneficiary). Each project is expected to promote the diversity of literature in the target country or countries by including works of fiction, with particular emphasis on those written in less widely translated languages. They should also support the profession of literary translator and respect the principle of fair remuneration, propose effective distribution and promotion strategies, encourage collaboration between different actors in the book value chain, and contribute to the EU overarching priorities.

The objective of this call is to support projects that translate, publish, distribute, and promote European works of fiction.

Thematic priorities include contributing to EU overarching priorities such as the greening and digital transition, inclusion and gender equality, and the international dimension. Specific priorities include increasing the transnational circulation and diversity of European literary works, promoting reading and linguistic and cultural diversity, supporting literary translators with fair working conditions and remuneration, and increasing the competitiveness of the book sector through cooperation among publishers, booksellers, and libraries. Synergies with other Creative Europe initiatives like the European Authors Day and the European Union Prize for Literature are encouraged. Exceptional support is also directed towards Ukraine, encouraging activities that facilitate the circulation and translation of books from and into Ukrainian, including providing books in Ukrainian to refugees and displaced people, and the printing of Ukrainian books.

Regarding the remuneration of literary translators, it is recommended that 20 to 30% of the total project budget be allocated to their remuneration, ensuring they receive recognition and visibility, preferably with credit on the cover page. Publishers must sign contracts with professional literary translators and reference them in the Creative Europe database, adhering to national standards and best practices such as the ‘Translators on the cover’ report and the ‘Guidelines for fair translation contracts’ drawn up by CEATL.

The scope of eligible activities includes translation, publication, promotion, and distribution activities, as well as activities addressing the themes and priorities mentioned above. Projects should include work packages of eligible works of fiction to be translated, published, distributed, and promoted, based on a sound editorial, distribution, and promotion strategy. Activities should also facilitate collaboration between different actors in the book and publishing value chain, such as authors, translators, publishers, distributors, booksellers, libraries, literary events, and festivals. The proposed activities should be grouped into coherent work packages, each with a corresponding list of activities, deliverables, milestones, and critical risks.

Admissibility conditions require adherence to the proposal page limit and layout as described in the call document sections 5 and 6. Eligibility extends to countries as specified in section 6 of the call document. Part B of the application form, which is the technical description, is limited to a maximum of 70 pages, as detailed in section 5 of the call document.

The evaluation criteria, scoring, threshold, and process are described in sections 8 and 9 of the call document, which cover the evaluation and award procedure and the award criteria, respectively.

The indicative timetable includes the publication of the call on 15 October 2025, a deadline for submitting applications on 29 January 2026, an evaluation period from February to May 2026, information to applicants in July 2026, and the signature of the grant agreement in October 2026.

Application form templates, including the standard application form (CREA CULTURE), a detailed budget table (CREA LSII), and a declaration on publications (CREA CULT LIT), are available for information purposes. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) such as the CREA MGA are also provided. Additional documents include CREA Annual Work Programmes, CREA Regulation 2021/818, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA (Annotated Model Grant Agreement), the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the provided submission button, selecting the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For help, applicants can contact the provided email address or URL, consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, or contact the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. The Online Manual offers a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to bolster the European literary landscape by supporting projects focused on the translation, publication, distribution, and promotion of European fiction. It prioritizes diversity, fair remuneration for translators, collaboration within the book industry, and alignment with EU cultural and policy objectives, including specific support for Ukrainian literature. The application process involves a single-stage submission with a deadline of January 29, 2026, and requires a detailed project proposal adhering to specific guidelines and templates.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to both single entities (mono-beneficiary) and consortia of organizations (multi-beneficiary). The specific types of organizations eligible are not explicitly listed in the provided text, but the description mentions actors of the book value chain, including authors, translators, publishers, distributors, booksellers, libraries, and literary events or festivals, suggesting that these could be eligible applicants or part of a consortium.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a "CREA Lump Sum Grant" (CREA-LS).

Consortium Requirement: Both single applicants and consortia are eligible. The opportunity description states that projects can be implemented either by a single entity (mono-beneficiary) or by a consortium of organizations (multi-beneficiary).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are described in the call document section 6 (Eligibility). The specific countries are not listed in the provided text.

Target Sector: The target sector is culture, specifically the book and publishing sector, with a focus on European literature. The program targets translation, publication, distribution, and promotion of European works of fiction.

Mentioned Countries: Ukraine is explicitly mentioned as part of the exceptional support, encouraging activities facilitating the circulation/translation of books from and/or into Ukraine, as well as their translation into or from Ukrainian.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on translation, publication, distribution, and promotion, suggesting projects that are in the development, validation, demonstration, or commercialization stages, rather than basic research or idea generation.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic CREA-CULT-2026-LIT is EUR 5,000,000. The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text, so the funding range per project is variable.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not specified in the provided text.

Summary:

This opportunity, CREA-CULT-2026-LIT, is a Creative Europe program offering lump sum grants to support projects focused on the translation, publication, distribution, and promotion of European works of fiction. The call aims to increase the transnational circulation and diversity of European literature, promote reading and linguistic diversity, support literary translators, and enhance the competitiveness of the book sector. Both single entities and consortia are eligible to apply. Projects should contribute to EU overarching priorities such as greening, digital transition, inclusion, and gender equality. A key aspect of the call is the emphasis on supporting the translation and circulation of books to and from Ukrainian, as well as providing books in Ukrainian to refugees. The application deadline is January 29, 2026, and the call anticipates supporting around 40 projects. Applicants are required to describe how their projects contribute to EU priorities and specific priorities related to the book sector. The application should include coherent work packages with activities, deliverables, milestones, and critical risks. The evaluation process and criteria are detailed in the call document.