Literature Flanders (Literatuur Vlaanderen) has been tasked with improving the language and reading skills of children and young people through a new agreement with the Flemish government starting in 2026.
The organisation, which has supported the literary sector for over 25 years, will continue its core activities, including aiding authors, literary organisations, publishers, libraries, and translators. It also fosters collaboration within the sector and promotes Dutch-language literature internationally.
This new mandate addresses a concerning decline in language and reading proficiency in Flanders. As part of this effort, Literature Flanders will take on a coordinating role in ‘Every Child a Language Hero,’ Flanders’ action plan to strengthen Dutch language skills.
The organisation will set up various initiatives to encourage early engagement with books. These include supporting reading and storytelling circles in libraries and community centres, appointing authors as language ambassadors, expanding youth literature collections in libraries, and offering training through the Everyone Reads Academy for teachers and volunteers.
“It’s crucial to connect children with the Dutch language from an early age,” said Minister Gennez. “This will improve their language mastery and pave the way for the next generation of great writers like Saskia De Coster and Dimitri Verhulst.”
Literature Flanders will also continue organising the Boon awards for the best Dutch-language books and the Boektopia book fair.
The organisation’s annual funding will increase by a quarter, reaching €14.4 million under the new agreement. Of this amount, €2.8 million is allocated specifically to its expanded coordinating role.
