PEN Translates is currently closed for submissions, reopening
1 April 2024.

About the award

PEN Translates was 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 award funds up to 75% of translation costs for selected projects. When a publisher’s annual turnover is less than £500,000 we will consider supporting up to 100% of translation costs.

There are two submission periods each year, the first in April–May (with awards decided in December) and the second in October–November (with awards decided the following June).

The selection panel (a specially selected group of industry professionals including writers, translators and booksellers) will assess your application based on the submitted form and the supporting documents provided.

If you have any queries, please contact [email protected]

 

Apply to join the assessor pool

During our PEN Translates submission windows (October–November and April–May), we are also open for literary translators to apply to join our pool of assessors. Each PEN Translates application (as well as shortlisted PEN Presents projects) are independently assessed by a translator commissioned to provide a reader report.

The assessor pool is currently closed for applications, and will reopen 1 April 2024. Meantime, you can find out more about joining the pool on our Translation Grant Assessor page.

Eligibility

PEN Translates is open to works from all languages, and it is not essential for publishers to have acquired the rights at the time of application.

In the last four years, the average grant awarded was £2,750, and 80% of grants were between £1,000 and £4,750. PEN Translates has limited funds to award each round, and we encourage publishers also to pursue funding elsewhere if possible.

The submitted project may be a work of fiction (including children’s literature), non-fiction, poetry, prose or plays (for print edition), but not a magazine.

The grant is open to UK-based publishers only.

For further information on eligibility, please consult the guidance for applicants and application form.

The criteria for assessment are:

  • Literary quality (40% weighting)
  • Strength of the publishing project (30% weighting)
  • Contribution to UK bibliodiversity (30% weighting)

 

PEN Translates will support a project when the translation is in progress, but not if it is in the final stages of production. For translations underway, the publication date must be at least 3 months after the announcement of the award. Awards are announced approximately seven months after the application deadline.

 

FAQs