The award, named after renowned Swiss translator, Susanna Roth (1950–1997), who contributed significantly to the promotion of contemporary Czech literature abroad, is organised by the Literary Section of the Arts and Theatre Institute and Czech Centres. It is for translators up to 40 years of age, whose task is to translate a piece of contemporary Czech prose. Contestants must be citizens or permanent residents in one of the participating countries and cannot have published a book translation in the language of the given country. The winners are chosen by a jury of translators and academics in each participating country.

This year, an expert committee consisting of publishers, translators and representatives of the Arts Institute, Czech Ministry of Culture and Czech Centres chose Bianca Bellová’s novel The Lake (Jezero, Host 2016).

Prize

A stay in the Czech Republic, which will include a translation workshop and other accompanying events.

Task and entry conditions

Contestants must translate the first chapter of Bianca Bellová’s The Lake (pp.9-25) and send it by email to the relevant Czech Centre or embassy with a short biography and a recent photograph. Contacts can be found at www.czechcentres.cz/o-nas/sit-cc/ and www.mzv.cz.

Contestants must be citizens or permanent residents in one of the participating countries below the age of 40 and cannot have published a book translation in the language of the given country.

Participating countries

Czech Centres in Budapest, London, Milan, Moscow, Sofia, Seoul, Tokyo, Warsaw, Vienna and Czech embassies in Belgrade and Minsk.

Dates

Deadline for translation submissions: 31 March 2017
Publication of results: 15 May 2017
Winners’ stay in the Czech Republic: Summer/Autumn 2017

Contacts

Taťjana Langášková, Head of the Czech Centres Programme Department, langaskova@czech.cz
Viktor Debnár, Head of the Literary Section of the Arts and Theatre Institute, viktor.debnar@institutumeni.cz