Public Contest for Humanities and Reading Clubs Open Until May 23
"Expanding the Role of Everyday Cultural Spaces Expected"
On May 8, the Gwangju city government announced that it will implement the "2025 Local Bookstore Revitalization Support Project" to continue the "reading fever" sparked by author Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature win.
Through a public contest open until May 23, the city will select about 20 local bookstores and support them in operating programs that highlight their unique strengths, such as humanities programs and reading clubs.
The contest is divided into two categories: "Bookstores Planning Humanities Programs" and "Bookstores Operating Reading Clubs." Bookstores can choose the category that best fits their planning capabilities and operational style when applying.
"Bookstores Planning Humanities Programs" refers to bookstores that design and operate humanities programs centered around books, leveraging their unique characteristics. These programs must be held at least three times and can take various forms, including lectures, book talks, and collaborations with other genres such as film or music.
Selected bookstores will receive differentiated support of 3 million to 5 million won per program, depending on the application details and number of sessions. "Bookstores Operating Reading Clubs" refers to bookstores where the owner directly plans and runs reading clubs with at least five sessions. A person capable of serving as the leader of the reading club, such as a local author, must be included. Each bookstore in this category will receive 1.5 million won in support.
Participating bookstores will also receive consulting and training to strengthen their program operation capabilities. In addition, a variety of promotional programs involving citizens will be implemented.
Applications must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on May 23 via email. Relevant documents can be downloaded from the "Notices and Announcements" section of the Gwangju city website and the Gwangju Cultural Foundation website. For more information, contact the Cultural Heritage Resources Division of Gwangju city or the Citizen Life Culture Team of the Gwangju Cultural Foundation. The results of the contest will be announced on May 27.
Jeon Soonhee, head of the Cultural Heritage Resources Division, said, "We expect local bookstores to become spaces for citizen communication and hubs for sharing local culture as part of everyday life," and added, "We hope for strong interest and participation from local bookstores."
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