Opportunities abound for the emerging translator! Just in time for the year-end break—this will be our final post of the year—we sifted through the latest ones and compiled the best and timeliest for our new one-stop hub, “Upcoming Opportunities in Translation.” See you on the other side of the New Year!
AWARDS
SARAH MAGUIRE PRIZE
The 2024 Sarah Maguire Prize for Poetry in Translation is now open for submissions. This international prize is awarded every two years to a translated book of poetry by a “poet living beyond Europe”. The winners will receive £3000, to be divided between the poet and their translator, and will be included in a Poetry Book Society promotion alongside up to seven other shortlisted titles. Past winners include Palestinian poet Najwan Darwish and Chinese poet Yang Lian.
Founded in 2020, the Prize commemorates the Poetry Translation Center’s founder, renowned poet Sarah Maguire, and seeks to celebrate the art of poetry in translation, which the PTC calls “the lifeblood of poetry”. Applications close on Monday, January 1st, 2024.
WORLD LITERATURE TODAY – STUDENT TRANSLATION PRIZE
World Literature Today offers an annual competition for students enrolled in translation studies programs worldwide, and applications are open! Consistent with WLT’s commitment to serving international and university communities alike, the Student Translation Prize seeks to recognize the work of emerging translators from anywhere in the world.
Entries should include a piece of translated prose (up to 1,000 words) or three pieces of poetry, along with a cover letter. $200 will be awarded to one prose translation and one poetry translation. Both will also be published online in the summer.
Applications are due January 11th, 2024.
MO HABIB TRANSLATION PRIZE IN PERSIAN LITERATURE
The Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at UW is thrilled to announce that the Mo Habib Translation Prize in Persian Literature is open for submissions for its second cycle. In partnership with the Mo Habib Memorial Foundation and Deep Vellum Publishing, this prize aims to commemorate the life of Mohammed Habib through the celebration of Persian literary works.
This cycle will focus on Persian poetry from the 10th century CE to the present day. Bi- or multilingual projects are more than welcome, as are collections of poems from more than one author. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV, and a sample of the proposed translation by March 1st, 2024. The winning translation will be awarded $10,000 and will be published by Deep Vellum.
ALTA FIRST TRANSLATION PRIZE
The American Literary Translator’s Association recently announced that beginning in 2024, it will be adding a brand new award to its current selection—the ALTA First Translation Prize!
The award—inspired by the Society of Author’s TA First Translation Prize— will recognize the work of up-and-coming literary translators from around the world. Any debut literary translation into English, no matter the genre, is eligible for submission. Translators of all nationalities are encouraged to apply. The winning translation will receive a prize of $3,000, to be divided between the translator and their editor.
In a joint statement, the prize’s proponents—Daniel Hahn, Esther Allen, and Susan Bernofsky—said that “by spotlighting the work of colleagues new to the field and of the editors who give these translators their first major publishing opportunities, the prize celebrates translators, publishers of translation, and translation itself, and aims to draw a wide range of new readers to the books translation brings us.”
The Prize’s first submissions cycle will open in mid-January, 2024.
EVENTS
MIDDLEBURY BREAD LOAF TRANSLATOR’S CONFERENCE
This coming summer, Middlebury will host its 10th annual Bread Loaf Translator’s Conference. From June 11th to 17th, 2024, translators of all levels are invited to attend a series of lectures, classes, and workshops to build up both their skills and their network. In addition to these opportunities to hone their craft, participating translators will also have the chance to meet with potential agents and editors during the week.
This session’s faculty include extraordinarily accomplished translators, such as Emily Wilson (The Odyssey; The Iliad), Kareem James Abu-Zeid (Exhausted on the Cross), and Antor Hur (Cursed Bunny).
The Bread Loaf Writers Conferences take pride in “[bringing] together diverse and talented communities of writers to take part in workshops, lectures, readings, classes, meetings with professionals in the publishing industry, and other programming aiming to prepare, educate, and inspire.”
JUNIVERS
From July 15th to July 21st, twelve translators of German poetry will be invited to Berlin to participate in the JUNIVERS Literary Colloquium. Made possible by collaboration between the German Translator Fund’s TOLEDO program and Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, this international forum seeks to bring together poetry translators from around the world, allowing them to share their craft while also building their networks and learning about new trends in the industry.
The program features a visit to the Berlin Poetry Festival, as well as a two-day translation workshop lead by German writer Kerstin Preiwuß. Accommodation and travel costs are covered.
Applications to the Colloquium are due January 20th, 2024.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA – MFA IN LITERARY TRANSLATION
The deadline for the University of Iowa’s Literary Translation MFA program is fast approaching! Located in the vibrant literary landscape of Iowa City—the home of the first translation workshop in the US—this program combines an appreciation for language and literature with training in both the history of translation and the art in its current contexts. After two years of translation workshops and creative writing courses, the program culminates in the completion of a translation of a collection of poetry, short stories, literary criticism, or a short novel or play.
All applications must be submitted by January 15th, 2024.
RESIDENCIES
BALTIC CENTER FOR WRITERS AND TRANSLATORS
Located in the historic town of Visby, on the island of Gotland, the Baltic Center for Writers and Translators welcomes authors and translators from across a wealth of genres, including fiction, poetry, children’s books, screenplays, and more. These professionals are invited for a stay of three to five weeks, during which they might build links across linguistic and cultural borders with their work and ideas, allowing the centre to serve as a cornerstone of literary and intellectual exchange.
In addition to being given the time to work on their own projects, residents have the opportunity to attend seminars and workshops, as well as to join the occasional excursion into Gotland.
Residents have their pick of eleven bedrooms, and have access to a kitchen, several common spaces, and a library. Applications to this residency are open and are currently being accepted on a rolling basis.
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Through this new initiative (released in both newsletter and blog format), we are eager to help translators worldwide share their voices and their work. Have an opportunity you’d like to circulate? If so, check out our rates and contact us via advertise@asymptotejournal.com
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