A record number! 96 grants were awarded for translations of Icelandic literary works into 29 foreign languages in 2017
The works will be translated into English (15 titles), French (12 titles), Danish (8 titles), German (6 titles), and Macedonian (5) to name a few of the languages.
A record number of grant applications and grant allocations for foreign language translations in the previous year.
In 2017, the board of the Icelandic Literature Center awarded grants for translations of Icelandic literary works into foreign languages to the amount of a little over 20 million Icelandic krona. 119 applications were made regarding translations of Icelandic works, with 21 being applications for translations into Scandinavian languages. 96 translations into 29 languages received grants, with the number of both applications and grants awarded reaching a record.
Among the works are novels, children's´ books, poetry books and works of general knowledge.
The total sum of grant money was 15 million Icelandic krona, with an additional 5,5 million that the Nordic Council of Ministers awards especially to further translation from Icelandic into the Scandinavian languages.
In comparison, the applications were 95 in 2016, 19 of which were for translations into Scandinavian languages, and 92 grants were awarded to translations into 28 languages. The number of applications as well as grants awarded has risen, as has also been the case in the previous three years.
Among works to be translated
Translations into English received the highest number of grants, or fifteen in all. Among the grant projects are CoDex 1962 by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb (publisher: Sceptre) and Drápa by Gerður Kristný Guðjónsdóttir, translated by Rory McTurk (publisher: Arc Publications). The second most popular translation language is French, with twelve projects in all. Among those are Winter Dark by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Jean-Christophe Salaün (publisher: Éditions Thierry Magnier) and Ör (Scars) by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, translated by Catherine Eyjolfsson (publisher: Zulma). Eight translations into Danish were awarded grants, among those Kata by Steinar Bragi, translated by Rolf Stavnem (publisher: Gyldendal) and Almost the Same Size as the Universe eftir Jón Kalman Stefánsson, translated by Kim Lembek (publisher: Batzer & co).
Among other literary works that received grants for translations into foreign languages are Poetry Remembers Voice by the late poet Sigurður Pálsson, Norwegian translation by Kristján Breiðfjörð (publisher: Nordsjøforlaget), Úlfur and Edda: The Relic by Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir, Czech translation by Martina Kasparová (publisher: Barrister & Principal), Sturlunga by Einar Kárason, German translation by Kristof Magnusson (publisher: Verlagsgruppe Random House) and Grand Mal by Auður Jónsdóttir, Hungarian translation by Bence Patat (publisher: Gondolat Publishers).
Details on all awarded grants by the Icelandic Literature Center for 2017 for translations into foreign languages can be found here.