Icelandic literature has seen a surge in popularity and interest worldwide with its rich text, fascinating stories, and diverse authors. And now, the Icelandic Literature Center just announced it received a record number of applications and grants to translate works of Icelandic literature into other languages. 108 applications for translation grants were received at the beginning of 2021, and 87 grants have been allocated to translate the works into 28 different languages.
Of those 28 languages, 18 are Nordic languages. The other grants translate works into English, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Faroese, Italian and Japanese, and others. The number of applications for translation grants has grown by 54% since 2020, demonstrating a continued readership interest and demand for Icelandic literary works.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, interest in Icelandic literature continues to grow. This is partly attributable to a recent initiative by the Nordic Literature Export Organizations to launch a temporary 50% guarantee of grants for translations of literature export organizations in Nordic countries. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Icelandic Literature Center also has applied a range of measures to promote Icelandic books and authors internationally, including promoting videos of Icelandic writers discussing their works in English and French, in English and French, the new Authors’ page on the Center’s website, and other translation initiatives.
Are you interested in reading Icelandic literary works that are translated into your language? Let us know in the comments below, or on Twitter!
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