English PEN's flagship grant programme re-opens despite COVID-19

• The PEN Translates award, which helps UK publishers meet the costs of translating new works into English, opens for submissions on 1 April 2020.


• The award continues to diversify and strengthen the literary sector – at a time when access to literature and the transmission of ideas across borders is more important than ever. 


• English PEN believes it is vital that PEN Translates continues to operate in a time of uncertainty for publishers and translators. 

Will Forrester, Translation and International Manager at English PEN said: 

“PEN Translates has become central to the international literature landscape. The programme has now awarded over £1m of funding in support of significant literary work; that two books supported through the programme feature on the 2020 International Booker Prize longlist is testament to its role in bringing monumental literature to UK readers. In the face of a public health crisis, we must support publishers, translators, and all those involved in bringing translated literature to the market – now more than ever. I am therefore delighted that we today open PEN Translates for new submissions.” 

PEN Translates was first launched in 2012, with support from Arts Council England, to encourage UK publishers to acquire more books from other languages.  

The award helps UK publishers to meet the costs of translating new works into English – whilst ensuring translators are acknowledged and paid properly for their work.  

The programme has supported more than 250 books, in 53 languages, and awarded over £1,000,000 of funding. 

Two titles supported by PEN Translates feature on the 2020 International Man Booker longlist.  
 

• English PEN's Writers in Translation programme has been promoting literature in translation since 2005. Overseen by a dedicated committee of literary professionals, the programme includes a dynamic portfolio of activities, which includes translation grants, events, and PEN Transmissions, an online magazine of international writing.
• English PEN's major publisher grants programme, PEN Translates, awards grants to UK publishers for translation costs and is supported by Arts Council England. Together with the PEN Promotes programme (supported by Bloomberg) over 300 books in translation have been supported by English PEN grants since 2005.
• English PEN, a registered charity, promotes the freedom to write and the freedom to read in the UK and around the world. The founding centre of a worldwide writers' association, established in 1921, we work to identify and dismantle barriers between writers and readers, whether these are cultural, political, linguistic or economic. In 2011 English PEN was awarded the highest funding increase in the literature sector by Arts Council England to develop literature in translation.
• For press enquiries, contact rachel@englishpen.org.