About English PEN and PEN Translates
Founded in 1921, English PEN celebrates the diversity of literature and envisions a world with free expression and equity of opportunity for all readers and writers. Through our translation and international literature programme – derived from the PEN Charter’s declaration that ‘literature knows no frontiers, and must remain common currency among people’ – we support the movement of words and ideas across borders.
PEN Translates, our flagship translation grant, was launched in 2012 to encourage UK publishers to publish more books in translation and to support the work of literary translators. We award grants to publishers to cover the costs of paying translation fees, enabling publishers to acquire more translated literature while ensuring translators are paid and acknowledged properly for their work.
PEN Translates is open biannually for submissions from all UK publishers. Submissions are initially assessed by independent literary translators, before the PEN Translates Selection Panel – a rotating group of seven independent experts from across the literary sector – determine the final portfolio of awards. Submissions are considered based on 1) their literary quality (40% weighting), 2) the strength of the publishing project (30% weighting), and 3) their contribution to UK bibliodiversity (30% weighting).
Since 2012, PEN Translates has awarded £1.1m of funding to enable the publication of 350 books translated from 90 languages.
About the PEN Translates evaluation
English PEN is seeking an independent external evaluation of PEN Translates. This could be undertaken by one independent evaluator or a team of consultants, contracted on a freelance basis. We are open to a range of qualitative and quantitative approaches and methodologies.
The evaluation process will take place between October 2023 and February 2024. A total budget of £5,000 including VAT and expenses is available.
The purpose of the evaluation will be to:
- assess the fitness of the programme’s current design;
- assess the impact to date of the programme against its intended outcomes of:
- increasing the volume and diversity of translated literature published in the UK;
- supporting the careers and financial security of literary translators;
- encouraging UK publishers to acquire more international literature; and,
- ultimately, making more – and more diverse – international literature available to UK and English-language readers.
The evaluation will consider the development of the programme across its twelve years, with a focus on the last three years.
The scope of the evaluation will include:
- designing and implementing a quantitative and qualitative evaluation framework;
- interviewing and communicating with internal and external contacts – as is necessary to meet the scope of the proposed evaluation – including staff and freelancers involved in delivering the programme, and beneficiaries of the programme (including translators, publishers, booksellers and readers);
- analysing internal data on 1) applications and 2) awarded projects;
- observing a PEN Translates Selection Panel meeting (online/remote) in December 2023;
- providing a short interim report by mid-November 2023, and a final report by the end of February 2024.
How to apply
To respond to this tender, please send a written proposal of no more than two sides of A4, and a copy of the CVs of individuals involved in the proposal, to [email protected] by 5pm BST on Monday 18 September 2023.
Proposals should include:
- an outline of the proposed approach to the evaluation, including methodology;
- a plan and timeline for the proposed evaluation;
- a budget (including a day rate and the number of days to be worked).
If you would like to discuss a potential proposal, please contact [email protected].