Making Literature Travel

In May we returned to the Abu Dhabi Book Fair to keep up our connections with publishing in the Arab world. LAF director Alexandra Büchler attended the 2nd International Congress of Arabic Publishing and Creative Industries, and spoke in the book fair’s  Professional Programme about our ground-breaking reports on the translation of Arabic literature in Europe.

Our stand 8B23 in the international hall represented the following organisations promoting books and authors from European countries:

CzechLit – Czech Literary Centre

Náměstí Míru 820/9 12000 Prague 2 or Moravian Library, Kounicova 65a, 60187 Brno, Czech Republic

Mr Martin Krafl   Martin.Krafl@mzk.cz   ▪  www.czechlit.cz

CzechLit is a section of the Moravian Library. The Centre promotes Czech literature abroad and the grants of the Ministry of Culture for its translation into other languages, cooperates on international projects, manages a programme of literary residencies, participates in international book fairs and organises Czech literary events abroad.

Directorate General for Books, Archives and Libraries

Torre do Tombo, Alameda da Universidade, 1649-010 Lisboa, Portugal

Ms Ana Castro internacional@dglab.gov.pt  ▪  www.dglab.gov.pt

The Book Department of the Directorate promotes books, literature and reading, and runs several programmes, including the programme of international promotion of literature written by authors from Portuguese-speaking countries, with the exception of Brazil, as well as Portuguese illustrators. It participates in international book fairs, supports Portuguese authors’ travel abroad and provides grants for translation and publication of Portuguese books, including children’s books and graphic novels, by foreign publishers. Its promotional activities and provision of grants is managed in cooperation with the Camoes Institute. The Directorate also maintains the largest database of information about Portuguese-language authors.

Etxepare Basque Institute

Prim, 7  2006 Donostia, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain

Ms Kizkitza Galartza   k-galartza@etxepare.eus ▪  www.etxepare.eus

The Institute Promotes the Basque culture, language and literature abroad, participates in international events and book fairs and provides support for translation of Basque literature.

FarLit – Faroese Literature

á Hjalla 7B, Fo-188 Hoyvík, Faroe Islands  Ms Jóhanna H. Wolles johanna@farlit.fo ▪ www.farlit.fo

FarLit – an abbreviation of Faroese Literature – promotes Faroese literature on the international book market, supports its translation and participates in international book fairs. It publishes Books form Faroe Islands and maintains a database of promoted books and authors on its website. FarLit is funded by the Ministry of Culture

Gibraltar National Book Council, GNBC

John Mackintosh Hall, 308 Main Street, Gibraltar

Mr Mark Sanchez markgsanchez@hotmail.com Ms Davina Barbara davina.barbara@culture.gov.gi  ▪  www.gnbc.gi

The Council encourages writing and reading and aims to support Gibraltarian writers, illustrators and publishers both locally and internationally. In supporting Gibraltarian literature, the Council will strive to promote the use of all the languages of Gibraltar and to engage with foreign partners interested in the literature and languages of Gibraltar. The Council works with Gibraltar Cultural Services, the Gibraltarian Ministry of Culture and other national and international partners to achieve its goals. Committee members include Minister for Education & Culture John Cortes, GCS CEO Seamus Byrne, Davina Barbara, Melissa Bosano, Giordano Durante, Jonathan Pizarro, Mark Sanchez and Jamie Trinidad.

Hellenic Foundation for Culture

50 Stratigou Kallari, 15452 Athens, Greece

Ms Nopi Chatzigeorgiou    nchatzigeorgiou@hfc.gr  ▪  www.hfc-worldwide.org

The Foundation promotes and disseminates Greek culture and language internationally. One of its key roles is to promote Greek books and authors abroad through participation in international book fairs and by means of subsidies awarded to foreign publishers for translation of Greek titles through the portal www.greeklit.gr, in cooperation with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The Foundation is also the organiser of the Thessaloniki Book Fair together with the Ηellenic Publishers Association, and manages the database of published Greek books Biblionet and the Directory of Greek Publishers.

Institut Ramon Llull

Diagonal 373, Barcelona 08008, Catalonia, Spain Mr Julià Florit jflorit@llull.cat  ▪ www.llull.cat

The Institute promotes Catalan culture, language and literature abroad, participates in international book fairs, organises foreign publishers’ visits to Catalonia, provides support for translation of literature written in Catalan and for Catalan authors’ travel abroad. Institute Ramon Llull was in charge of the Guest of Honour presentation of Catalan culture at the Frankfurt book fair and of the Spotlight on Catalan Culture programme at the London Book Fair 2022.

Latvian Literature

Avotu Street. 53-VII, Riga LV 1009, Latvia

Ms Rita Dementjeva   rita@latvianliterature.lv  ▪  www.latvianliterature.lv

Promotes Latvian literature abroad, supports its translation into other languages and Latvian authors’ travel abroad, provides information and resources on its website. cooperates on international projects, participates in international book fairs and manages Latvia’s participation in the London Book Fair where the Baltic countries were the Market Focus in 2018.

Lithuanian Culture Institute

1 Sierakausko g. 15, LT-03105 Vilnius, Lithuania

Ms Kotryna Pranckunaite  kotryna.pranckunaite@lithuanianculture.lt  ▪  www.lithuanianculture.lt

The Institute promotes Lithuanian culture and literature abroad and funds its translation into other languages, cooperates on international projects, provides information and resources on Lithuanian culture, produces publications promoting new book titles, co-organises the Vilnius Book Fair, and manages Lithuania’s participation in international book fairs, including Bologna, Frankfurt and the London Book Fair, where Baltic countries were the Market Focus in 2018.

National Book Council of Malta

Bice Mizzi Vassallo Complex, Arnhdem Road, Pembroke PBK 1776, Malta

Ms Simona Cassano  simona.cassano@ktieb.org.mt ▪ www.ktieb.org.mt

The National Book Council is a public association of publishers and writers that encourages reading and promotes the book as a medium of communication in all its formats. It represents writers and publishers in public fora and institutions in order to promote the interests of the book industry’s stakeholders, organises the Malta Book Festival and the National Book Prize, participates in international book fairs, promotes Maltese books and literature abroad, and provides funding for its translation, as well as supporting book publication in Malta.

Petöfi Literary Fund

Garda u. 2, 1117-H Budapest, Hungary

Ms Anna Flora CSERI anna.cseri@petofiugynokseg.hu  ▪   www.plf.hu

The Fund is part of the Petöfi Cultural Agency. It promotes Hungarian literary classics and contemporary literature abroad, supports its translation into other languages through several programmes, supports Hungarian authors and translators’ travel to international events, publishes an annual catalogue of new titles in different genres as well as the 1749 Online World Literature Magazine, co-organises the PesText International Literary Festival, and manages a programme of literary residencies, including at the Hungarian Translators’ House. The Petöfi Cultural Agency publishes the The Continental Literary Magazine, an English-language quarterly focused on literature of Central Europe.

Polish Book Institute

1 Zygmunta Wróblewskiego 6, 31-148 Kraków, Poland

Foksal 17, II piętro, 00-372 Warszawa, Poland

Lucia Gawkowska l.gawkowska@instytutksiazki.pl  ▪  www.instytutksiazki.pl

National cultural institution, established by the Ministry of Culture to promote Polish literature worldwide and to popularise books and reading within the country. The institute provides information on the Polish book market, maintains a database of Polish authors, actively promotes Polish books to foreign publishers, supports their translation through the ©Poland Translation Programme and hosts working visits and residencies for translators of Polish literature, as well as supporting Polish authors to travel abroad. It publishes catalogues of selected titles New Books from Poland and Polish Books for Children and Young Adults, and awards prizes to recognise the work of translators: the Transatlantyk Prize for Lifetime Achievement and the Found in Translation Award for the best translation of a Polish Book into English. The Institute also coordinates Poland’s national stands at international book fairs.

Slovak Literary Centre

Nám SNP 12, 812 24 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Ms Miroslava Bilačičová  miroslava.bilacicova@litcentrum.sk, Dado Nagy dado.nagy@litcentrum.sk▪  www.litcentrum.sk

The Slovak Literary Centre (SLC) is a public organisation aimed at providing material and organisational support for literature written in Slovakia, its authors and translators. It promotes Slovak literature abroad by means of literary translation, events and international conferences and festivals of literature, participates in international book fairs in Slovakia and abroad, with the main goal of promoting Slovak writing, organises of literary symposia, conferences and cross-border cultural cooperation and the promotion of Slovak literature nationally and internationally, cooperates with foreign publishers of Slovak literature, and financially supports the publication of translated works of Slovak authors abroad, awards grants for literary residencies for foreign translators and promoters of Slovak literature abroad, cooperating with cultural and writers organisations at home and abroad, and publishes Books form Slovakia, an annual selection of promoted new books.

Sandorf

Severinska 30, 10110 Zagreb, Croatia

Ivan Sršen contact@sandrof.hr  ▪  www.sandorf.hr  ▪  www.sandorfpassage.org

Sandorf is an agency for worldwide representation of Balkan writers and a publishing house specialising in fiction and non-fiction books, with a branch in the United States, Sandorf Passage. Sandorf also organises literary projects and runs the LitLink festival which brings literary professionals to Croatia every year. It has launched a successful European programme of exchange residencies for emerging writers, Ulysses Shelter, more information on www.tovar.hr.

Writers’ House Georgia

Ivane Machabeli Street 13, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia

Irine Chogoshvili     ichogoshvili@writershouse.ge   ▪  www.writershouse.ge

Promotes Georgian literature and authors internationally, supports translation of Georgian titles into other languages and foreign titles into Georgian, Georgian authors’ travel abroad to festivals and other events, participates in international book fairs and provides residency opportunities in Tbilisi for foreign artists, writers, translators and journalists, organises the Tbilisi International festival.

Wales Literature Exchange

University of Wales Trinity Saint David, CAWCS, National Library of Wales, SY23 3HH, United Kingdom

Ms Elin Haf  post@walesliterature.org   ▪  www.walesliterature.org

The Exchange promotes the literature of Wales written in both English and Welsh, provides grants for its translation, participates in international book fairs and projects, and co-organises the Wales stand and programme at the London Book Fair.