CFPs: Grants for Translation of Swedish Literature and Drama to other Nordic Languages

The objective of this grant is to increase publishing of quality literature in other Nordic languages. Since the grant is established in the national literature centres and their national and international networks, it can contribute to a wider discussion on translated literature.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount is SEK 20,000. The Swedish Arts Council does not have a fixed amount or percentage for the size of the grant. This is instead based on the amount applied for and available funds. Usually, around 50% of the translation fee is awarded. The production grant is assessed in relation to the stated costs.

Eligible Projects

• Licensed translations of Swedish works in the genres prose, poetry, essays, non-fiction, picture books, comics and graphic novels, as well as drama published in book form, for children, young people, and adults are eligible for grants. Licensed means that there is a contract with the rightsholder regarding translation for publication/production.
• Support can also be provided for translation of Swedish drama licensed for stage performance.

Ineligible Projects

• You cannot apply for grants for textbooks, Festschrifts, homage volumes, publishing of sheet music, study materials, specialised scholarly works, reference books, hobby books, yearbooks, books of local interest, exhibition catalogues, craft books, handbooks, cookbooks, and travel guides.

Eligible Cost 

• Translation costs and/or production costs are eligible for grants. Grants for production costs can only be awarded for illustrated children’s or non-fiction in four colour print, as well as for comics and graphic novels. You can apply for printing costs and, where applicable, for the costs of inserting text into comics and graphic novels.
• For translation costs, the maximum amount you can apply for is the one corresponding to the translator’s fee.
• For production costs, the maximum amount you can apply for is an amount that covers the estimated costs of printing the book, and/or the costs of inserting text into comics and graphic novels.

Ineligible Cost 

• Production grants cannot be applied for for non-illustrated works or works with black and white illustrations, with the exception of hand-lettering black and white comics and graphic novels.
• Support cannot be applied for the purchase of rights or production files, design or editorial and other comparable work.

Eligibility Criteria

• Grants may be awarded to publishers or theatres in Sweden or in other countries. The applicant must be the one who will publish/perform the translation of the work. Applicants shall have a professional distribution of the translated work. Professional distribution means that the work shall be able to reach readers in the relevant language area through bookstores and libraries. Production of dramatic works means that the theatre performs the work for audiences in the relevant language area.
• Natural persons cannot apply for the grant.

Assessment Criteria

• The applications are assessed by the grant committee for Swedish literature and drama in translation and by senior advisors at the Swedish Arts Council’s office. The grant committee consists of external experts in the field of literature. The members have the mandate for two years with the possibility of a two-year extension.
• Once the application deadline has passed, the members of the grant committee will read and assess all works relevant to the application round. The grant committee and the Swedish Arts Council’s office then examine each individual application in relation to the other applications and suggest how the grant will be distributed. Based on this, the senior advisors make a draft suggestion. The Head of the Department for Literature and Libraries decides on the final distribution of the grant.
• If a member of the grant committee is disqualified with respect to any applicant, meaning biased due to kinship, friendship, or otherwise, the member may not be involved in the processing of that application. If a member of the grant committee did not participate in the processing of an application due to disqualification, this will be noted in the decision.
• Basis for assessment:
  • When the grant committee assesses applications, their primary starting point is the literary quality of the work in question. Members assess the narrative structure of the work, its linguistic and artistic expression, as well as the text’s ability to, regardless of genre, engage the reader.
  • With respect to illustrated works, the interaction between text and illustrations is also assessed. For non-fiction, the factual presentation is also assessed.
  • In addition to literary quality, the Swedish Arts Council also considers the quality of the application, according to the following aspects:
    • the applicant’s arguments for why the book shall be translated into the language in question,
    • how the applicant plans to ensure that the translation reaches its audience.
    • the translator’s qualifications
• Basis for prioritisation:
  • When the amount applied for exceeds the available funds, the grant committee applies the priorities established by the Swedish Arts Council:
    • The age of the work: The Swedish Arts Council prioritises the translation of contemporary literature but does not exclude the possibility of awarding grants for the translation of older works.
    • Language: The Swedish Arts Council prioritises the introduction of an author in a new language and in areas where the author has not yet been established.
    • Number of applications per applicant: The Swedish Arts Council may limit the number of approved applications per applicant and round.
    • Anthologies: Anthologies already published in Sweden are prioritised over those that the applicant themselves has put together for exclusive publication in the relevant language.
    • Diversity: As a whole, the grant shall support the dissemination of a diverse range of Swedish literature and drama with respect to genres, countries, languages, and authors.
    • Other priorities: In the announcement of the grant, the Swedish Arts Council may formulate other priorities. If so, this may be given special consideration in the prioritisation.

Application Requirements

• In the application, the applicant shall provide the information and the appendices requested by the Swedish Arts Council. Compulsory attachments are signed license agreements, signed translation agreements, the translator’s CV and list of works, and PDF/electronic version of the original Swedish edition of the work subject to the application. The application shall also include a justification for why the applicant is applying for support for the translation in question, as well as a description of how they plan to ensure that the translated work reaches the intended target audiences.

For more information, visit Swedish Arts Council.