86 subsidies for translations of Icelandic literature into foreign languages in 2015
Works to be translated include The Ice Lands by Steinar Bragi, The Undesired by Yrsu Sigurðardóttur, Fish Have no Feet by Jón Kalman Stefánsson and Butterflies in November by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir.
This year, the Icelandic Literature Center has subsidized the translations of 86 Icelandic works into foreign languages, which is an all-time record. Works to be translated include The Ice Lands by Steinar Bragi, The Undesired by Yrsu Sigurðardóttur, Fish Have no Feet by Jón Kalman Stefánsson and Butterflies in November by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir.
This year, the Icelandic Literature Center has subsidized the translations of 86 Icelandic works into foreign languages, which is an all-time record. Works to be translated include Hálendið / The Ice Lands by Steinar Bragi, Kuldi / The Undesired by Yrsu Sigurðardóttur, Fiskarnir hafa enga fætur / Fish Have no Feet by Jón Kalman Stefánsson and Rigning í nóvember / Butterflies in November by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir.
The Icelandic Literature Center's last translation subsidies for the translation of Icelandic literature into foreign languages have been announced for 2015.
This year, 86 subsidies for translations were awarded, which is the highest number so far. The subsidized translations include 27 target languages, of which the most-represented are Danish (9), Macedonian (8), German (5) and English US/English UK/Arabic/ Norwegian/ Hungarian/French (4 translations each language). The translations include novels, children's books, poetry and nonfiction.
Last year, the ILC awarded 80 subsidies for translations of Icelandic works into 28 languages, so a marked increase in applications and subsidies awarded is evident.
Applications include translations of Ósjálfrátt / Tourner la page by Auður Jónsdóttir into French and Arabic, Sjóræninginn / The Pirate by Jón Gnarr into English (US) and Spanish and Jarðnæði / Plan of Ruins by Oddný Eir into English (US) and Italian and Hálendið / The Ice Lands by Steinar Bragi into 8 different languages among them English, German, Hungarian and Dutch.
We are pleased to note the increase of translations into Nordic languages in the last two years. Since 2008, 8-13 translations into Nordic languages have been subsidized each year, this year, however, that number was 16 and last year a record number of 21. The Nordic Council of Ministers supplies funding for translations between Nordic languages.
Last year, the ILC finished its three year 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. As part of the initiative, the Göteborg Book Fair, the largest book fair in the Nordic countries, had a focus on Icelandic literature and authors in its successful program “Voices from Iceland / Röster från Island” where 15 Icelandic authors participated in the Göteborg Book Fair literature program.