Literature in Finland

The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for drafting legislation related to promoting literature and allocating appropriations from the national Budget. The objective is to support the creative work of authors and translators, to make Finnish literature better known in Finland and abroad and to maintain literacy and encourage people to read more.

In line with the objectives of the Strategy for Cultural Policy 2025, the Ministry grants discretionary government transfers for activities that promote literature and for activities that make literature more easily available and accessible.

The majority of discretionary government transfers for literature are granted to authors and translators as grants and subsidies and as indirect financial support for libraries. The Ministry supports national literature organisations and the activities of the Finnish Literature Exchange (FILI). The task of the Finnish Literature Exchange is to make Finnish literature better known abroad and promote the translation of Finnish literature into other languages and the literature of other languages into Finland's national languages. 

A Board appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture operates in connection with the Arts Promotion Centre Finland. The Board is responsible for deciding annually on grants and subsidies for authors and translators. (Act on Public Lending Right Compensation Grants and Subsidies 236/1961). The Ministry appointed a working group in 2019 to prepare a reform of the Act.

To make high-quality literature of low circulation more easily available, a subsidy is granted to public libraries to procure such books. With the subsidy, public libraries can also expand and diversify their collections. For more information on the subsidy, see the Ministry's website under ‘Libraries’; ‘Financing’.

The Arts Promotion Centre Finland awards grants intended for the promotion of literature, such as artist grants, children's culture grants and project grants. Art Promotion Centre

The Ministry of Education and Culture subsidises the publication and promotion of literature in easy-to-read language by means of a separate appropriation. The Finnish Centre for Easy Language (Selkokeskus), which is a part of the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, is responsible for awarding grants and subsidies for easy-to-read literature.

The National Council for Literature and the Committee for Public Information serve as the expert bodies in literary matters.