Making Literature Travel

English PEN is the founding centre of PEN International, the worldwide fellowship of writers promoting free expression. Through its campaigns and programmes, English PEN promotes the freedom to write and the freedom to read. Internationally, English PEN campaigns on behalf of persecuted writers, editors and publishers. In the UK, it campaigns to reform laws that curb free expression, and for greater access to literature. It runs a number of programmes for creative writing and translation and a busy events programme. http://www.englishpen.org

Grants from English PEN
PEN Promotes (formerly known as Writers in Translation) has been promoting literature in translation since 2005 and is supported by Bloomberg. Each year, a dedicated committee of professionals selects between 8-10 books that are translated into English from a wide variety of foreign languages. English PEN awards grants to UK publishers to help promote, market and champion these titles. Its aim is to celebrate books of outstanding literary value, which show a dedication to free speech and intercultural understanding, and therefore have a clear link to the PEN charter.

PEN Translates! is English PEN’s new grants scheme for translation. Launched in 2012 at the London Book Fair, this unique new fund is open to submissions from all UK-based publishers. Building on the success of English PEN’s Writers in Translation programme, it is committed to supporting works of outstanding literary merit, strong and innovative publishing projects and diverse writing from around the world.