Book Publishing Support: Translation Grants
The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to equity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from diverse Aboriginal, cultural and regional communities, including people with disabilities.
Deadline
There are no deadlines for this program. You may apply at any time during the year. Applications must be submitted before the translation has been completed according to the date specified in the agreement with the translator.
The Canada Council will not accept incomplete applications or those submitted by fax or email.
Please refer to the Program Guidelines for detailed information.
Program Description
This program provides financial assistance for the first translation of literary works written by Canadian authors. Translation must be into French, English or an Aboriginal language for publication in Canada. Successful applicants may request supplements for Travel Assistance, Editing Assistance and Promotional Assistance.
Note: From 2010-11 to 2012-13, the Canada Council for the Arts is administering, on behalf of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the National Translation Program for Book Publishing (NTPBP).
The National Translation Program for Book Publishing is designed to increase the availability of Canadian-authored books in both official languages, delivering on the commitment that the Canadian government announced in June 2008, in the Roadmap for Canada’s Linguistic Duality.
Eligibility
Note that meeting the eligibility criteria allows you to apply to the program. It does not, however, guarantee that you will receive a grant.
Applicant Eligibility
The application must be submitted by the publisher who will publish the translation.
Publishers seeking assistance must currently be receiving support from the Block Grants or Emerging Publisher Grants program. The publisher eligibility criteria for these programs are outlined in the program application guidelines entitled “Book Publishing Support: Emerging Publisher Grants and Block Grants.”
In addition to meeting those criteria, publishers must:
- already have published at least three eligible titles in the language of translation in which they are seeking assistance (except in the case of translations into an Aboriginal language), and
- have an effective network for distribution of the translated works.
Canadian theatre companies should apply to the Theatre Section for the translation of Canadian plays for performance.
Translator Eligibility
The translator must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and a recognized professional translator who has completed a degree in translation or has had at least one literary translation published by a recognized publisher. The translator will also be considered eligible if he or she is a professional writer.Title Eligibility
Title Eligibility
Title eligibility criteria are the same as those for the Book Publishing Support: Emerging Publisher Grants and Block Grants program components. These criteria are listed in the application guidelines for these program components.
Grant Amount
Translation Assistance
Publishers may apply for the cost of translating an eligible title, usually to a maximum of $25,000.
These grants cannot be used for projects that have already been completed before the application is submitted.
Readers’ Fees for Prospective Titles
Publishers currently receiving support through the Book Publishing Support: Block Grants or the Book Publishing Support: Emerging Publishers program may apply for assistance to cover the fee for a reader to assess the suitability for its list of an existing book or books in the other official language. The book must meet the eligibility criteria for a literary title according to the Book Publishing Support guidelines. The reader will provide a written report on the prospective title for translation for the publisher’s list. The maximum available per publisher is $1,500 per year.
Supplements for Recipients of Translation Grants
Travel Assistance for Author/Translator meeting
Publishers may request assistance for the travel cost of one meeting between the author and the translator. The Canada Council’s contribution covers the cost of economy plane or train fare to a maximum of $500.
Editing Assistance for Translated Titles
Publishers may request assistance towards the cost of the services of a bilingual editor to verify the quality of the translated title. This funding is available for translations supported since April 1, 2009. The Canada Council’s contribution will cover 75% of the cost of the services of a freelance editor (not a company employee) to a maximum of $2,500 per publisher per year. The funds can be applied to more than one title.
Promotional Assistance for Translated Titles
Publishers may request assistance towards the costs of promoting a translated work to a maximum of $2,500. The amount awarded is based on eligible expenses (such as posters, bookmarks, review copy mailings) in the budget submitted by the publisher.
Further Information
Catherine Montgomery
Program Officer
Writing and Publishing Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 5574
TTY: 1-866-585-5559
September 2011