The Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship

In order to apply you must be a translator from Swedish, or a publisher or sub-agent who is interested in working with Swedish literature in translation. You must also be willing to take part in the whole programme. Since the programme is in English we need the participants to have a sufficient command of English in speech and writing.

A requirement for publishers/sub-agents is that you must run a commercial operation. (This requirement does not, however, apply to translators, instead they need to have had at least one book published, translated from Swedish.) Priority will be given to those who have not previously attended the fair. 

The grant will cover a part of your travel cost, three nights’ hotel accommodation, and entrance card to all seminars at the Gothenburg Book Fair.

You apply to take part in the whole programme. The dates are fixed, arrival on September 25 and departure on September 28. Depending on whether you live in Europe or outside Europe, two different travel sums will be granted. If you are travelling from Europe, the travel grant sum is SEK 3 000, and if you are travelling from outside of Europe the sum is SEK 10 000. (We are aware that this might not cover the whole travel cost, but the grant should be seen as a contribution to the travel costs.) The Swedish Arts Council takes care of the hotel reservation and hotel payment. The travel grant will be paid to the applicant organisation’s account (or translator’s account), and the applicant makes his/her own travel arrangements.

You can apply for this grant once a year.

Your application is submitted online. The application form is only available during the application period. Please be sure to read through the Guidelines before applying.

Guidelines Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship

For publishers, a presentation of recent publications and, where appropriate description of contacts with Swedish publishing houses/agencies should be enclosed.

For sub-agents, a description of the agency and its activities should be enclosed.

For translators, an updated CV should be enclosed.

Information should also be provided regarding the type of literature you work with (literature for children and young people, fiction, or non-fiction).

Please note that, for publishers/sub-agents, applications can only be submitted by the publishing houses/agencies and payments are only possible to publishing houses/agencies. This does not apply for translators, who represent themselves. The Swedish Arts Council takes care of the hotel reservation and hotel payment. The travel grant will be paid to the applicant organisation’s account, and the applicant makes travel arrangements.

All the applications received will be evaluated by the Swedish Literature Exchange team.The final decision will be made by the Head of the Department for Literature and Libraries. All applicants will be informed about the decision by email in the middle of May. A list of allocated grants will also be published on the Swedish Arts Council’s website. Decisions cannot be appealed.

Your grant application will be assessed on the basis of the following priorities and selection grounds:

• Your experience of and/or the wish to work with Swedish literature in translation.
• As a publisher, you have not previously participated in the programme. For translators, we could approve more than one year's participation, not two years in a row, though.
• You have a sufficient command of English in speech and writing that enables you to fully participate in the programme.
• Your previous published books consist of prose, poetry, children’s and Y/A books, non-fiction and/or comics of good literary quality. We can not include publishers of schoolbooks, academic books, practical handbooks or self-help books.
• You run your operations with respect for human rights and for the equal value of all human beings, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, linguistic or religious adherence, disability or age.

General conditions

Terms and conditions for those who are awarded a grant from the Swedish Arts Council.

General conditions

When the Fellowship programme is over, we will send a short questionnaire for you to fill out. This is the only report you need to send.