Deadline: 16-Oct-2025
Applicants are now invited to submit applications for its Translators of Swedish Literature Grant to promote international exchange in the field of literature and to strengthen the skills of translators of Swedish literature and drama through various activities.
Applicants must conduct their activities with respect for human rights and the equal value of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, skin color, nationality or ethnic origin, linguistic or religious affiliation, disability or age.
Grants are aimed at professional translators, which refers to translators who work professionally with literary translation. The works must be Swedish literature or drama written in Swedish or one of the national minority languages and published or performed in Sweden. Genres that are supported include prose, poetry, essays, non-fiction, picture books, comics and graphic novels, as well as drama for publication or stage performance for children, young people, and adults.
Professional translators can apply for grants to cover costs related to activities that strengthen the quality of translation. These may include participation in projects or events such as festivals, conferences, seminars, fairs, workshops, or travel connected to a specific translation project. Support is also available for mentorship projects where an established translator works with a mentee, as well as for trial translations intended for publishers or theaters to consider for publication or performance. A prerequisite is that translations must be made directly from Swedish or a national minority language, not via another language.
Certain types of work are excluded from grant eligibility, such as teaching materials, festive writings, study materials, scientific works with a specialist focus, reference books, hobby books, cookbooks, manuals, yearbooks, craft books, and travel guides. Grants also cannot replace a translation fee where a contract already exists, nor can they cover activities that have already taken place.
Applicants can request up to SEK 12,000 for trial translations and mentorship projects, while other projects are funded according to their actual costs. Eligible costs include travel and accommodation, conference or course fees, mentor fees, and estimated work costs for producing sample translations.
In addition, each application is assessed according to the following criteria. For travel and conferences, the evaluation considers the relevance of the project to the translator’s professional development, how the project ensures the quality of ongoing or planned translation work, and the relevance of the networks that the translator plans to establish or maintain during a trip. For mentorship, the assessment focuses on the mentor’s documented experience, the project plan and motivations of both the mentor and mentee, and the quality and relevance of the work within the language area concerned. For sample translations, the translator’s motivations for their project and the quality and relevance of the work are taken into account. As the total amount requested for the call for applications exceeds the available funds, the assessment is also based on certain priorities.
The Swedish Arts Council prioritizes the translation of contemporary literature, but may also support older works that are considered important for the international dissemination of Swedish literature and drama. The Council also gives priority to introducing writing in a new language area, recognizing that one language can be spoken across several countries, such as Spanish or English. Additionally, the Council may limit the number of approved applications from an individual applicant. Finally, diversity is taken into consideration, with an effort to support projects across different geographic areas and literary genres.
Applications must be submitted through the Swedish Arts Council’s online portal using a special form. While applications are accepted throughout the year, they are processed quarterly. Required attachments include a current CV with a list of works translated from Swedish, and depending on the project type, additional documents such as certificates from rights holders, project plans, or motivation letters. Late or incomplete applications will be carried over to the next round if feasible.
For more information, visit Swedish Arts Council.
