Promoting translations – ideas, practices, innovations

The international conference, jointly organized by Next Page and KulturKontakt Austria, took place on 23-24 June 2006 in the Old City Hall of Vienna, with the participation of representatives of various institutions engaged in promoting East European literatures in translation.

The increasing interdependence of today’s world can be measured in terms of economic networks, technical knowledge, media and mass culture but that does not necessarily mean that all products of cultural endeavor are moving in a global direction. Sharing, encounter and mediation require translation and in this, publishers, creators, governments and foundations have a vital role to play.

Currently, most European countries carry on various kinds of schemes to promote their literature abroad that use different tools – translation grants, information data-bases, translators exchange, book-fairs’ presentations, festivals, events, etc. Some of those schemes are operating as part of coherent national policies while others happen as one-time efforts by dedicated publishers, professional organizations or NGOs.

The international Vienna conference discussed the situation in Europe, with a strong focus on translations from non-mainstream languages, and explored best practices, obstacles and practical solutions.

The conference brought together key professionals and government policy makers from 15 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, as well as publishers, literary agents and consultants from other relevant countries.

Program

Friday, 23 June, 9:00 – 17:00

9:00 - Registration of participants

9:30-10:15 - Welcome by Kurt Wagner, director of KulturKontakt, Austria, Annemarie Turk, KulturKontakt, Austria, Anton Kolarik, Bank Austria Creditanstalt Yana Genova, director of Next Page

10:15-11:00 - National literatures in a globalizing world
Moderator: Annemarie Turk, KulturKontakt Austria, Gerhard Auinger, literature department of the chancellor’s office, Vienna

11:20 – 12:30 - National literatures in a globalizing world
Sreten Ugricic, director of National Library of Serbia, writer, Carl Henrik Fredriksson, editor-in-chief of eurozine
Discussion

14:00 – 15:00 Promoting translations: current situation in Central and Eastern Europe
Moderator: Yana Genova, Next Page
Alexandra Buchler, director of Literature across Frontiers (LAF), Presentation of a pan-European study on translations’ promotion
Peter Inkei, director of Budapest Observatory, EU programs and translation grants
Discussion

15:20 – 17:00 - Promotion tools I
Moderator: Kate Griffin, Arts Council of England
Ewa Wojciechowska, Book Institute – Poland, Marta Dziluma, director of Latvian Literature Center, Ruediger Wischenbart, Content & Consulting – Vienna, former PR of Frankfurt Book Fair, Translation-on-Demand: new opportunities
Discussion

Saturday, 24 June, 9:30 – 17:00

9:30 – 11:00 - Promotion tools II
Moderator: Iryna Kuchma, Renaissance Foundation - Ukraine
Albrecht Lempp, director of Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation, former curator of “Poland – guest of honour” program at Frankfurt Book Fair, Dana Kalinova, director of Book World – Prague

11:20 – 13:00 - Promotion tools III
Inga Nostyte, director of Books from Lithuania, Valentin Sandulescu, Romanian Cultural Institute, Daniela Humajova, Literature Information Centre - Slovakia
Comments: Igor Chipev, director of National Book Center – Bulgaria
Discussion

14:00 – 15:00 - Promotion tools IV
Marianne Gruber, president of the Austrian society for literature, writer, Natasha Perova, Glas - Russia

15:20 -17:00 - Wrap-up session. Ideas, concerns and perspectives for the future
Moderator: Yana Genova

List of participants

1. Austria, Annemarie Turk, KulturKontakt Austria
2. Austria, Andrea Maurer, KulturKontakt Austria
3. Austria, Carl Henrik Fredriksson, Eurozine
4. Austria, Ernst Grabovszki, editor of Anzeiger
5. Austria, Mag. Gerhard Auinger, Department for Publishing and Literature at the Chancellor’s Office
6. Austria, Marianne Gruber, President of the Austrian Society for Literature
7. Austria, Ruediger Wischenblatt, Consultancy and Content
8. Bulgaria, Igor Chipev, Director of National Book Center
9. Bulgaria, Nadezhda Zaharieva, Deputy Minister of Culture
10. Bulgaria, Maria Velichkova, Project Coordinator at Next Page Foundation
11. Bulgaria, Yana Genova, Director of Next Page Foundation
12. Czech Republic, Dana Kalinova, Director of Book World
13. Hungary, Peter Inkei, Budapest Observatory
14. Latvia, Marta Dziluma, Director of Latvian Literature Centre
15. Lithuania, Inga Nostyte, Director of Books from Lithuania
16. Macedonia, Biljana Tudzarovska-Kupeva, Ministry of Culture
17. Macedonia, Rumena Buzarovska, writer
18. Poland, Albrecht Lempp, Director of Foundation for German Polish Cooperation
19. Poland, Ewa Wojciechowska, Project Coordinator at the Book Institute
20. Romania, Valentin Sandulescu, Romanian Cultural Institute
21. Russia, Natasha Perova, director of Glas
22. Serbia and Montenegro, Sreten Ugricic, Director of the National Library
23. Slovakia, Daniela Humajova, Center for Information on Literature
24. Slovakia, Peter Chovan, Center for Information on Literature
25. Ukraine, Iryna Kuchma, Program Manager of the Renaissance Foundation
26. Ukraine, Vasyl Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the State Committee for Radio and Broadcast
27. Ukraine, Tymofiy Havryliv, writer
28. UK, Alexandra Buchler, Literature across Frontiers
29. UK, Kate Griffin, literature officer at Arts Council