Open call: CELA is looking for translators! 
Application deadline: March 7 2024

Next Page Foundation has joined the international talent development project CELA - Connecting Emerging Literary Artists. CELA connects emerging translators from 11 European countries with emerging writers through masterclasses, sample translations, mentorship, presentations and live meetings.

The project aims to offer literary artists from small language markets in Europe a level playing field to establish an international career, reach an international audience and develop their professional skills.

For the third edition of the initiative Sofia Literature and Translation House is looking for emerging translators to participate in CELA from September 2024 to June 2027.

The call is open for translators in the following directions:

• Spanish - Bulgarian 
• Italian - Bulgarian
• Ukrainian - Bulgarian
• Polish - Bulgarian
• Dutch - Bulgarian (2 positions)
• Serbian - Bulgarian
• Slovenian - Bulgarian
• Czech - Bulgarian
• Romanian - Bulgarian

What we offer:

• Paid translation assignments of 6 sample (prose) texts from emerging writers in your source language;
• A voice/vote in the selection of participating writers;
• Publication of these translations on the CELA website and other literary platforms across Europe;
• 4 international online masterclasses on relevant professionalisation topics;
• Professional communication tool kit with headshot and artist bio;
• Mentorship programme:
• You will work with an established translator in the same translation direction and with a literary consultant;
• 2 live national team meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria;
• 2 live project wide work week in Turin, Italy (January 29 to February 2 2025) and in Brussels, Belgium;
• 2 visits to a literary festival in your target language country;
• Paid and mentored pitching assignment of (at least) one of your writers; connection to an international network of more than 300 writers, translators and literary organisation in Europe.

What we ask:

• You are a literary translator of prose (fiction and non-fiction both apply) in Bulgarian;
• You have published a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 literary translations in either an established literary magazine or with a national quality publishing house;
• Using Petra-E’s Framework of Reference for the Education and Training of Literary Translators, your compentence between LT2: Advanced Learner and LT3: Early Career Professional;
• You have graduated from an academic literary translation course and/or have proven your potential through literary translation programmes, and with literary commissions or publications in recent years;
• You are willing and able to prioritize your participation in this project, you can make the time and (head)space to dedicate focus to the activities and you are able and willing to communicate with partner organisations and other participants (the common project language is English).

Participation in this project is free of charge, but not free of commitment. CELA covers travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for live activities.

The project is implemented through elaborate funding applications and the dedicated work of all partner organisations:

• Book Arsenal, Ukraine
• deBuren, Belgium
• Passa Porta, Belgium
• Scuola Holden, Italy
• Krakow Festival Office, Poland
• FILIT, Romania
• KROKODIL, Serbia
• GOGA, Slovenia
• Escuela de Escritores, Spain
• Czech Literary Centre, Czech Republic
• Wintertuin, The Netherlands

Each organisation will select writers and translators to be your peers in this project. This will amount to a network of 165 international literary artists.

Application documents (in English): 

• A relevant and current resume (maximum 1 A4) that has at least: your full name, contact details, where you currently live and work, and relevant information about your practice as a writer and your education;
• A motivation letter (maximum 1 A4) that explains why you should be considered as a candidate for CELA and what you hope to gain from it;
• A letter of recommendation (maximum 1 A4) from an established translator that is able and willing to function as a mentor throughout the programme (this is a paid job, and CELA will establish a contract with this person).

Send your application to our coordinator Adriana Paneva at apaneva[at]npage.org with the subject ‘CELA open call’ and add your documents in PDF.

➠ Application deadline: March 7 2024

If you have any questions, check the CELA website or reach out to Adriana Paneva.

A committee of professionals from the project staff, CELA alumni and editors will select 3 candidates, taking into account the above mentioned criteria. Also, CELA takes inclusion seriously and strives to choose participants that are representative for our diverse societies.

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The project is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and by the National Culture Fund Bulgaria.