The Literary Partner Initiative seeks to develop cultural partnerships between literary and cultural cafes and the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The first edition of the initiative was launched in March 2021, as its value lies in targeting cafes as dynamic environments for exchanging opinions and as cultural venues regularly visited by people.
The initiative organizes cultural activities held in cafes and provides the necessary support to invigorate the literary and cultural movement in the Kingdom.
Literary Partner Initiative objectives
The Literary Partner Initiative focuses on several objectives to enhance the role of culture and literature in Saudi society. It helps in promoting the works of Saudi writers locally and internationally and encourages individuals to produce cultural and literary works by activating the role of private sector and non-profit organizations. The initiative highlights the value of literature in human life, making culture a part of everyday practices.
Support provided by the Literary Partner Initiative
The Literary Partner Initiative supports literary and cultural cafes in achieving their goals. It provides cafes with licensing services, facilitates their communication with local and international writers, markets their cultural activities, and offers consultations on organizing literary and cultural events.
The initiative offers financial awards totaling SAR900,000 to the best partner cafes that have enriched the literary and cultural scene. The awards are divided into four categories: SAR500,000 for cafes that have held more than eight events, SAR250,000 for cafes that have contributed with more than five events, SAR100,000 for cafes that have hosted more than three events, and SAR50,000 for cafes that have hosted more than two events.
Criteria for selecting partner cafes
The Literary Partner Initiative has established key criteria for evaluating cafes eligible for financial support. In addition to the number of activities cafes hosted and their reach among individuals, other requirements must be met. These include having a detailed business plan, represented by a professionally managed team, and criteria related to the cafe's location, area, layout, and its relevance to Saudi culture.
Cafes' contributions to the Literary Partner Initiative
The cafes participating in the Literary Partner Initiative contribute by offering various literary events and products to enrich the cultural experience of their visitors. This includes disseminating literary content through the interior design of the cafe or the cups presented to visitors, hosting book clubs and discussions, celebrating international cultural and literary days, encouraging children to read, and supporting Saudi authors.
Literary Partner Initiative closing
On June 13, 2022, the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission concluded the first edition of the Literary Partner Initiative. The participating cafes collectively offered 539 literary activities, including 332 events and 207 contributions. These activities were implemented by twenty cafes across various regions of the Kingdom, benefiting over 54,000 individuals.
The Literary Partner Initiative 2022
In June 2022, the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission launched the second edition of the "Literary Partner" Initiative, with forty-one cafes participating from all regions of the Kingdom. The initiative was concluded in June 2023 after hosting over 1,400 literary and cultural events across the Kingdom. The winners received financial awards totaling SAR900,000.
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