80 subsidies for translations of Icelandic literature into foreign languages
Works to be translated include Jón Kalman Stefánsson's Heaven and Hell, Andri Snær Magnason's LoveStar, Sjón's Moonstone and Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir's The Creator.
This year, the Icelandic Literature Center has subsidized the translations of 80 Icelandic works into foreign languages, which is an all-time record. Works to be translated include Jón Kalman Stefánsson's Heaven and Hell, Andri Snær Magnason's LoveStar, Sjón's Moonstone and Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir's The Creator.
The Icelandic Literature Center's last translation subsidies for the translation of Icelandic literature into foreign languages have been announced for 2014.
This year, 80 subsidies for translations were awarded, which is the highest number so far. The subsidized translations include 28 target languages, of which the most-represented are Norwegian (9 translations), German (8), Danish (7), English (6) and Spanish (6). The translations include novels, children's books, poetry and nonfiction.
Last year, the ILC awarded 75 subsidies for translations of Icelandic works into 26 languages, so a marked increase in applications and subsidies awarded is evident.
Applications included translations of The Creator by Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir into French and Malayalam, Jón Kalman Stefánson's Heaven and Hell into Arabic, and LoveStar by Andri Snær Magnason into French. Applications for the translation of Sjón's Moonstone into six languages were also sent in.
We are pleased to note the increase of translations into Nordic languages. Since 2008, 8-13 translations into Nordic languages have been subsidized each year, this year, however, that number is 21. The Nordic Council of Ministers supplies funding for translations between Nordic languages.
Last year, the ILC kicked off an initiative to increase the spread of Icelandic literature in the Nordic area, and increase the number of translations into Nordic languages. This push seems to be bearing fruit already. Next year, as part of the initiative, the Göteborg Book Fair, the largest book fair in the Nordic countries, will focus on Icelandic literature and authors in its program “Voices from Iceland / Röster från Island”.