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Literature

Literary translation grant

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Target group
Practitioner with connection to Switzerland
Submission deadline
Open year-round

What

Support for literary translations

For Whom

Translators

Selection Criteria

  • The translator must have already completed a literary translation in the language combination
  • Quality of the submitted text sample

In addition to these specific criteria, the apply.

Financial Contribution

  • CHF 60 per standard page for prose (1,800 characters), CHF 120 per poem for poetry
  • It is also possible to increase the translation fee if the translation is published by a publishing house outside Switzerland: Pro Helvetia pays the difference between the fee paid by the publishing house and the standard rate in Switzerland (CHF 60/1,800 characters for prose; CHF 120/poem for poetry).
  • Maximum grant of CHF 25,000 per year, per translator

Content Of Application

  • Project description
  • CV of translator
  • Date and location of publication
  • Twenty proofread pages of the translation, corresponding pages in the original text
  • Signed license agreement
  • Signed translation agreement (passage with the agreed fee must be written in or translated into German, French, Italian or English)
  • Detailed budget and financial plan
  • Information concerning the amount of the grant requested from Pro Helvetia and the justification of the need for it

Format-specific Exclusion Criteria

Applications for translations of Swiss contemporary literature must be submitted by the publishing house

Application Deadlines and Decision Timelines

Submission deadlineOpen year-round
Earliest start date for the projectEight weeks after submitting the application
Notification of decisionWithin eight weeks
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General Requirements

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Introduction

Pro Helvetia promotes the professional contemporary Swiss art and cultural production (without film) with a view to diversity as well as national and international reach. It supports the creation of new artistic works and productions, the exchange between Switzerland’s various linguistic regions, the dissemination of Swiss art and culture outside Switzerland and international cultural exchange. As a national foundation, Pro Helvetia supplements the promotional activities of Swiss cantons and municipalities and only supports projects that are cross-regionally or internationally recognised.

Pro Helvetia will only consider funding applications if they are complete and have been submitted on time.

To be eligible for support, projects must

  • have a clear connection to Switzerland
  • be of nationwide importance
  • be adequately co-funded by other public or private means
  • respects/guarantee fair working conditions

Connection to Switzerland

A connection to Switzerland is given, if one of the following conditions is met:

  • The production or project in question is developed or implemented by artists and cultural practitioners, who verifiably hold Swiss citizenship or are permanent residents of Switzerland and who are regularly artistically involved in relevant events in Switzerland.
  • The project is created, developed, or implemented by an independent group or cultural institution whose place of production is in Switzerland and who is regularly and publicly active in Switzerland.

Nationwide relevance

Nationwide relevance is given, if one of the following conditions is met:

  • The art and cultural practitioners participating in the project are regularly involved in programmes of nationally recognised art and cultural institutions in Swiss regions other than their own or abroad, and the project in question has a transregional appeal.
  • The artistic potential of an emerging art practitioner involved is exceptional in terms of a national or international career.
  • The project makes a significant contribution to the development of Swiss artistic and cultural production and its dissemination.
  • The project is of significant importance for the exchange between Switzerland’s various linguistic regions.

Assessment of content and quality

Within the framework of the available funds, Pro Helvetia prioritises projects that most comprehensively meet the funding criteria. The Foundation assesses whether

  • the project demonstrates high degree of independence and professional competence as well as social and thematic relevance
  • the project is implemented according to professional standards
  • the costs are commensurate with the expected impact
  • a lasting impact can be expected

Furthermore, the Foundation attaches great importance to the following aspects:

  • The project has an appropriate commitment to diversity.
  • Resources are used in an ecologically responsible manner and work and production are planned sustainably.

Restrictions

Pro Helvetia is unable to consider funding requests if

  • the same part of the submitted project is already received funding from other federal bodies (e.g. Federal Office of Culture, Presence Switzerland, Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation)
  • the project is part of a school or university curriculum/basic training or continuing education programme (including dissertations, diploma projects, university scholarships, etc.)
  • funding is intended to cover infrastructure and equipment costs, as well as the costs of operating cultural facilities, archives and collections
  • the project does not depend on funding from Pro Helvetia

Status: January 2024