International Translation Day 2023 English PEN programme
Featuring 30 leading translators, writers, publishers, agents, booksellers and language experts, this year's sessions include an “ask me anything” with five UK publishers, workshops on negotiating contracts and translating sensitive work, and talks on rights, events and reviews.
The full programme will be available to attend both in person (British Council, 1 Redman Place, Stratford, London, E20 1JQ) and online.
ITD 2023 is held in partnership with the British Council and supported by the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS).
Programme
Friday 29 September
12–7pm BST (doors 11.30am BST)
Attendees can purchase full-day passes or tickets for individual sessions. Please note that workshops will run concurrently alongside talks; advance sign-up for the Translation Clinics was essential, and has now closed. The day will conclude with an in-person drinks reception as well as an informal opportunity for those participating virtually to meet and connect online.
Please note that there are limited in-person spaces (20 in each) in the Negotiating Contracts and Translating Sensitivity, Translating Sensitively workshops for in-person attendees; those planning to attend these workshops in person are advised to arrive well ahead of their start times.
Workshop 1: Translation Clinic (three groups in-person or online)
Advance sign-up for Translation Clinics has now closed
12–1.30pm BST
Three non-language specific workshops (one in person, two online), with participants discussing current hurdles in their practice in a collegial setting, facilitated by established translators.
In-person clinic
Facilitated by Ros Schwartz, participants bring a particular translation challenge they are facing – a word, a phrase, or a wider issue – to discuss with peers.
Online clinics (x2)
Facilitated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones and Canan Marasligil, participants share and discuss challenges they are facing with a text they are currently translating.
Talk 1: Publishers: Ask Me Anything (in-person and online)
12–1.30pm BST
Publishers – big and small – answer the audience's and each other's questions on all things translation.
With Amy Mae Baxter, Katharina Bielenberg, Kristen Alfaro, Stefan Tobler and Željka Marošević, chaired by Preti Taneja.
Workshop 2: Negotiating Contracts (in-person and online)
1.45–3.15pm BST
An interactive talk exploring translations contracts – how to approach and negotiate them, how they are changing, and how best to know and protect translator rights.
With Ambre Morvan, Lawrence Schimel and Alex Zucker
Talk 2: First Gigs: Pitching, Acquiring, and All Things Rights (in-person and online)
1.45–3.15pm BST
A panel conversation on rights, with a translator, agent and foreign rights professionals discussing their first successes in selling projects.
With Sawad Hussain, Roxane Edouard and Lucy Beresford-Knox, chaired by Rebecca Servadio.
Workshop 3: Translating Sensitivity, Translating Sensitively (in-person and online)
3.30–5pm BST
A participatory conversation on translating sensitive, traumatic or emotionally affecting work, the fine line for translators between sensitivity and absorption, and mechanisms of support across the publishing process.
With Nichola Smalley, Katherine Gregor and Meena Kandasamy.
Talk 3: Finding Readers: Promoting, Programming, Reviewing (in-person and online)
3.30–5pm BST
Booksellers, publicists, critics and magazine editors discuss getting translation into readers' hands.
With Sana Goyal, Meera Ghanshamdas and Clare Bogen, chaired by So Mayer.
Plenary: 2023 State of the Translation Nation (in-person and online)
5.30–7pm BST
Key figures from across the sector explore the pressing issues for translators, translation, and translated literature – as identified by the community.
With Khairani Barokka, Kavita Bhanot, Sarah Braybrooke, Rebecca Hart, Laurence Laluyaux, and Tiffany Tsao, chaired by Daniel Hahn.
Accessibility information
The British Council building is fully wheelchair-accessible. The talks and plenary will be BSL-interpreted. If you plan to attend a workshop in-person or online and require a BSL interpreter, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected]. If you require any other access arrangements, please contact us at [email protected].