“...an unforgettable personal experience to meet so many colleagues from abroad. It couldn’t have been better.”
Jos den Bekker, 2012 BILTC participant

About Banff International Literary Translation Centre (BILTC)

Inspired by the network of international literary translation centres in Europe, the Banff International Literary Translation Centre (BILTC) is the only one of its kind in North America. The primary focus of the residency is to afford working and professional literary translators a period of uninterrupted work on a current project. Many past participants have found that the most enriching and lasting rewards of the program are the deep personal and professional connections they have made with their international colleagues.

The 15 literary translators who participate in the program each year are from one of the three founding countries – Canada, Mexico, and the United States – translating from any language, as well as from any other country translating literature from the Americas (both the North and South American continents). Each year the program strives to include translators who are at different stages of their careers, from those with only one book-length published translation to veterans who have been translating as a primary professional activity for many years. Since the inaugural program in 2003, the Centre has hosted translators from approximately 30 countries translating work involving nearly 40 languages.

Translators may request a joint residency of up to one week with the author they are translating. Most guest authors come from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, but the program is sometimes able to bring authors from farther afield. Individual work sessions with the consulting translators serving in residence, as well as with the program directors, are also available. Participants meet three times a week for roundtables and presentations, and to discuss work in progress as well as broader issues in the practice of literary translation.

2012 Authors: Margaret Atwood, Hélène Rioux, Jeffrey Yang, and more
2012 Participants: Kareem Abu-Zeid, Jos den Bekker, Carlos Ciade,  Mónica de la Colina, Talal Faisal, Beatrice Fassbender, Shelley Frisch, Sjaak de Jong, Jonathan Kaplansky, Samantha LeClair, Alba Marina Escalón, Janet Poole, Roberto Rueda Monreal, Alexandre Sanchez, Heinz Schwarzinger, Rachael Small, Violeta Tauragiene, Eugenia Vázquez Nacarino

Who Should Apply

This program is open to literary translators who have published at least one book-length literary translation or the equivalent thereof. If you are looking for time to focus on a current literary project, and an opportunity to connect with other literary translators from around the world, this residency is for you. For more specifics, see the Eligibility section.

Arrival and Departure Dates

Participants should plan to arrive in Banff on Sunday, June 2, 2013, and depart on Sunday, June 23, 2013.

Want to extend your stay?

Self-directed Writing Residencies run year-round and provide the time and space for focused work. Extend your stay before or after this program by applying for a Self-directed Residency. Independant residencies are also available in the Leighton Artists' Colony.