Norwegian Drama Now translation grants

Last updated: 25.09.2014 // The Writers’ Guild of Norway may award grants for the translation of Norwegian dramatic works to other languages.

In order to apply for a grant, you need confirmed interest from a producer/arranger or agent outside Norway and the services of a professional translator.

In addition to supporting translations with a view to full production, grants may also be awarded for the translation of works for promotional purposes or public readings and for the translation of synopses for presentation. Applications may be made by translator, writer or producer. The translation grant scheme is financed by NORLA – Norwegian Literature Abroad.

The primary purpose of the grant scheme is to contribute to the presentation/production of Norwegian drama abroad.

The Writers’ Guild of Norway wishes to bring greater public attention to the translation grant scheme and, not least, to encourage writers to make use of it. The Guild’s purpose is not to act as an agent for writers but, through encouraging active use of the grant scheme, to help show that Norwegian drama boasts a diversity of voices that deserves to be heard beyond Norwegian shores!

Texts that have previously been awarded grants cater to all target groups and range from film manuscripts and synopses to texts for puppet theatre and play manuscripts for full production. Translation grants have, moreover, also been awarded to texts for rehearsed readings and ordinary readings as well as for the purposes of production evaluation and promotion, sometimes for several writers collectively.

All applications are assessed by the translation committee, which is elected for a two-year period by Writers’ Guild members. The committee holds four grant award meetings each year.

Guidelines for translation grants (pdf)
Translation grants application (pdf)
Annual report (pdf)

Application deadlines: 15th February, 15th May, 15th September and 15th November.

Translation grant recipients undertake to complete a report form detailing the results of the award granted.

Since 2006, translation grants have been awarded to Norwegian dramatic works to be read/performed in, among others, English, French, German, Rumanian, Polish, Russian, Croatian, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, Macedonian, Swedish, American English, Italian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Dutch, Albanian, Farsi and Czech.

Professional theatres/producers wishing to have Norwegian drama translated into another Nordic language may also seek support through the cooperative project run by the Nordic countries fiction writing agencies and Kulturkontakt Nord (Nordic Council of Ministers). Read more

Applications for translation grants for drama to be published in book-form should be sent directly to  NORLA