Banff International Literary Translation Center [Imminent Deadlines & Important Info]

With the application deadline for this year’s Banff International Literary Translation Center program looming (applications are due February 15th), I thought I’d would be a good time to post a bit of info about Banff, the program, etc.

First off, you can find all the information about Banff by clicking here. As is stated on the website,

the Banff International Literary Translation Centre (BILTC) is the first of its kind in North America. The primary focus of the residency program is to afford literary translators a period of uninterrupted work on a current project, within an international community of translators. Translators may request a joint residency (of up to one week) with a writer, allowing the translator to consult and deepen his or her knowledge of the writer’s intentions and the context of the work being translated. Consultation with the program directors and experienced translators serving in residence as advisors will be available. Three or four times a week participants meet for informal presentations, workshops, and readings, and to discuss their work in progress with the group.

I’ve talked to a number of people who have done this residency, and they all raved about it. The setting sounds spectacular, the opportunity unique, etc.

IMPORTANT NOTE: On the Banff website, it indicates that translators applying for the program have to have published “one book-length literary translation (or equivalent).” This is true for the majority of translators, but if you are a student, this requirement has been waived. Additionally air fare for students will be waived.

With the increase in university translation programs, there should be a lot of great candidates out there . . .

All the application instructions are online, and if you are a student, be sure and indicate that somewhere on your application.

And good luck!