CFPs: Latvian Literature Grants to support Translators

The IWTH has organized a Grant Program for Translators to provide financial support for the translation of Latvian prose, journalism, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature of high merit into various foreign languages.

Aim

• The aim of the program is to ensure that the best of Latvian literature is accessible and known beyond the borders of Latvia.

Priorities

• To ensure the high quality of the translations into other languages and taking into consideration the merits of the original work in selecting literary works for the Program, priority will be given to the following:
  • A complete translation of the entire work that has been commissioned by a foreign publisher for potential publishing of the work.
  • A work that has been nominated for the Annual Latvian Literary Award (since 2010 – LALIGABA), has won any significant literary competitions or received any other literary awards.

Funding Information

• The calculation for a grant is made as follows: for prose 19 EUR per 1800 characters (with spaces) and for poetry 2 EUR per line.

Eligibility Criteria

• The genres covered by the Program are prose, poetry, literature for children and young adults, journalism, drama, comics, and graphic novels. In the non-fiction category, works of general non-fiction, essays, and memoirs are eligible.
• A translator can only apply for a grant if he/she has received permission from the copyright holder of the original literary work to carry out a full translation of the entire literary work.

Assessment Criteria

• The quality of the literary work and the translator’s expertise are significant factors in assessing the applications. Conditions for the award of financial support:
  • The translator/editor has professional experience in translation;
  • The translator translates and editor edits into his/her mother tongue (native language);
  • The original work has received recognition in Latvian literature, and the translation is of high quality;
  • The book has potential for foreign markets;
  • The application is based on an agreement with a specific publisher abroad;
  • Already finished translations are not financed in the framework of the program.

Application Requirements

• Application documents should contain the following:
  • Completed application form;
  • Sample translation (70 –200 lines of poetry, 5,000–10,000 characters of prose);
  • CV of the translator, emphasizing the description of previously translated books;
  • Signed agreement with the copyright holder of the original work or representative or license;
  • Letter of intent or an agreement with a foreign publisher, ensuring the interest of the publisher to publish the future translation.

For more information, visit Latvian Literature.