Bristol Translates, the UK’s biggest literary translation summer school, took place from 3 to 7 July 2023. It featured 275 hours of programming over five days, including workshops in nine different languages, as well as hands-on sessions on theatre, poetry, queer and kids lit translation, plus panel discussions on publishing, copyright, membership organisations and other aspects of the professional translation landscape. Over 40 tutors and speakers were involved, and participants were offered 30 exclusive slots to practise pitching their translation projects to professional editors.

Participants at the online event joined us from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UAE, the UK, and the USA.

This year’s keynote event was a conversation between Daniel Hahn OBE and Sarah Ardizzone, with guests Bibi Bakare-Yusuf and Layla Mohamed of Cassava Republic. The session focused on ‘translator activism,’ i.e. the various ways in which translators can make a difference in world.

Asked about their experience of Bristol Translates, participants almost unanimously said they left with new plans, new ideas, and a renewed sense of confidence in both themselves and the value of translation as a profession.

One of this year’s innovations was the first ever Bristol Translates Hindi workshop, which was generously supported by the Charles Wallace India Trust. Other sponsors, to which Bristol Translates is equally grateful, include Banipal, Institut Français, the government of Québec, Goethe Institut, Austrian Cultural Forum, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, and Instituto Cervantes.

Ros Schwartz and Holly Langstaff served as directors of the event, which is supported by Christophe Fricker as academic lead.