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Translation

The Arts Writers Translation Grant supports individuals who want to translate texts about contemporary visual art from any language into English. $30,000 grants are available for book translations. The grant supports projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences. The grant encourages translators to propose book projects that: (a) meaningfully expand the writing about contemporary visual art available in the English language; (b) contribute to discussions about contemporary visual art. As long as an individual meets the eligibility requirements, they can apply.

The grant supports translations of book projects, including monographs, scholarly works, biographies, essay collections, interviews, journals or correspondence by artists or critics, and artist writings

By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.

APPLICATION

We recommend that you read through the Application Guide before filling out the online application form.

You may only apply for one project per grant cycle. You must choose one project type: Article, Book, Short-Form Writing, or Translation.

To access the application form, go to: artswritersgrant.slideroom.com.

PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for a grant, your proposed project must:

  • be a translation of a book into English;
  • be primarily about contemporary art;
  • include evidence of the ongoing or completed process to secure rights for the translation.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the grant, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Be a translator who has published at least

  • one translation of a work into English in the broader artistic or cultural fields of at least 3,000 words.

Be an arts writer who has published at least

  • two articles about contemporary visual art of at least 2,000 words each; or
  • four articles about contemporary visual art of at least 500 words each; or
  • one book about contemporary visual art or a related subject

In addition, you must be:

  • a US citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or a holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);
  • at least twenty-five years of age.

You are not eligible for this grant if you are:

  • applying on behalf of an organization;
  • applying for a project in which your primary involvement will be as an editor;
  • applying for a project to translate your own writing;
  • applying to translate a project that is primarily fiction or poetry;
  • applying to translate a project that is primarily about Andy Warhol;
  • applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;
  • applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);
  • a former grantee of the Art Writers Grant Program;
  • a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or the Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.
     

TRANSLATION SAMPLES

Your translation grant application requires two samples. For formatting instructions see FAQs.

The first sample must include both:

  • a translation of 3,000 to 5,000 words from the proposed project;
  • the translated sample in the original language.

The second sample must be:

  • published arts writing (3,000 word maximum); or
  • published translation in the broader artistic or cultural fields (3,000 word maximum)
     

TRANSLATION GRANT FUNDS

Translation grants are $30,000. Grantees will be awarded $25,000 and $5,000 will be distributed to the writer or estate of the original text when possible, or to a related non-profit institution.

The Arts Writers Translation Grant is intended to cover costs associated with translation, not publication design or production.
 

FAQs

ELIGIBILITY FAQs

1. Can I apply for a translation grant if I don’t meet the project and applicant eligibility requirements?
No. In order to apply for a translation grant, you must meet both the project eligibility requirements and the applicant eligibility requirements.

2. Do I need a confirmed publisher to apply?
No. You do not need a confirmed publisher to apply. However, the application includes a question about “potential publishers.” Use this field to address what publishers or publications you imagine for your project. You may also use this field to write about more experimental strategies for publication or distribution.

3. Can I apply with a collaborator?
Yes. You can apply with up to one collaborator. This may be another translator or the original author of the text. In addition:

  • Only one application per collaboration will be accepted (collaborators must select one member to be the primary applicant and contact);
  • Both collaborators must meet the individual publishing requirements;
  • Collaborators must meet the requirements for age, but only the primary applicant must meet the citizenship requirement;
  • Collaborators are recommended to submit samples that demonstrate their work in collaboration. Total word counts for collaborative projects are the same as for individual applicants;
  • If one collaborator is the original author of the text, the grant funds will be split evenly between both collaborators;
  • If you have further questions in regard to collaborative projects, please email us at: [email protected].
     

APPLICATION FAQs

1. How much does the writing in my application matter?
The clarity and coherence of your answers to the application questions are important. Although these answers are not technically writing samples, they will be considered in the evaluation process. Jurors read them carefully.

2. In the Resume section, what do you mean by “Bibliography”?
Please list relevant recent citations of published translations and/or writing. Your answer to this question should include information about the publications that make you eligible for a grant. You may also use this field to highlight publications that are relevant to your proposal.  We recommend including publication dates and word counts where applicable.
 

TRANSLATION AND WRITING SAMPLES FAQs

1. Do I have to include a translation sample from the proposed project?
Yes. As one of your samples, please submit 3,000 to 5,000 words excerpted from the proposed project text. You must also submit the same excerpt from the original text.

2. How should I select my secondary writing or translation sample?
For your secondary writing or translation sample, please submit a sample of your previously published arts writing or translation work in the broader arts, humanities, or cultural fields. This sample must not exceed 3,000 words. Your second sample should demonstrate your strength as a writer or translator. Recent writing samples are encouraged.

3. Can I submit samples longer than the 3,000 to 5,000 word count?
No. However, you can submit an excerpt(s) from a longer text, as long as the sample does not exceed 5,000 words.

4. How should I format my translation and writing samples?
Each sample must be submitted as a separate PDF. Your translation sample should be doublespaced. Scans of the original text and secondary samples are fine. Scans must be legible. The maximum file size for PDF documents is 10 MB each. For each sample, please provide: Title, Description, Date, Publisher, Word Count. We do not accept links to online translation samples.

5. How do I submit samples for collaborative projects?
The first sample (from the proposed project) must be translation work done in collaboration. The second sample (of previously published writing or translation) may be work done in collaboration or individually. Total word count for the second sample should not exceed 3,000 words. If you have further questions about formatting your submissions, please email us at: [email protected].


GRANT FAQs

1. What is the application review process?
There is a two-tiered application review process. Each application is first reviewed by an outside evaluator. The applications with the highest scores will advance to a final round, in which a panel of jurors will select the grantees.

2. How can the grant money be used?
The grant aims to give individuals time to translate. Grant money can only be used to cover expenses incurred after you have been awarded the grant. Expenses related to the realization of your project can include: a translator’s fee (money used toward living expenses including childcare); research; travel; image permissions and fees; costs related to editing or transcription.

3. Is the grant considered taxable income?
Yes. Grantees must pay taxes on the grant money they receive. The IRS considers income from grants to be taxable. Grant funds can only be issued directly to the individual grantee. Funds cannot be disbursed to institutions such as universities.

4. How long is the grant period?
The grant period is one year, beginning in January 2026. Projects that receive a grant do not need to be completed within the grant period.
 

OTHER QUESTIONS

Please note that we only respond to questions via email.


APPLICATION QUESTIONS

* Required Field
Please note: Slideroom dislplays character counts (including spaces). The word counts below are estimates for the maximum length of your responses.

CONTACT

Contact Information,* Professional Name, Date of Birth,* Citizenship,* Gender, Pronouns, Ethnicity

RESUME

  • Applicant Biography* (300 words) 
  • Bibliography (List relevant/recent citations of published translations and/or writing) (250 words)
  • Education* (200 words)
  • Employment (200 words)
  • Miscellaneous (Include any other relevant work experience or dissertation information here.) (100 words)

PROJECT

1. Project Description* (250 words)
Describe the original text, your interest in the text, and your approach to this translation.

2. What is the significance of this project in translation?* (250 words)
Use this field to describe the cultural, literary, social, or political contexts of the work, and/or the conversations and texts that your translation will be in dialogue with, and the audience(s) you would like to reach.

3. How does this project relate to your previous writings, translations, or research?* (250 words)
Use this field to include information about how this project relates to your previous work and how this project originated.

4. Is there anything else you would like the jurors to know about your project and/or your relevant writing or translation experience? (250 words)
Use this field to add any relevant information or context not covered in the answers above.

5. Publication Rights* (100 words)
Use this field to describe the steps you have taken to secure the rights to translate and publish the original text(s). We understand that this process may be ongoing. Please upload a PDF with documentation of correspondence or an agreement with the writer, estate, and/or original publisher.

6. Potential Publisher(s) (100 words)
Use this field to address what publishers or publications you imagine for your project. You may also use this field to write about more experimental strategies for publication or distribution.

TRANSLATION SAMPLES

Your application requires two samples:

The first sample must include both:*

  • a translation of 3,000 to 5,000 words from the proposed project;
  • the translated sample in the original language.

The second sample must be:

  • published arts writing (3,000 word maximum) or
  • published translation in the broader artistic or cultural fields (3,000 word maximum), includeing: Title,* Description  (100 words maximum)*, Date,* Publisher, Word Count*

COLLABORATOR(S) (if applicable)

  • Contact information,* Date of Birth,* Gender, Ethnicity, Citizenship*
  • Explain the collaborators’ role in the proposed project.* (250 words)
  • Collaborator Biography* (250 words)

GRANT FUNDS

Please confirm that you have reviewed grant FAQ #2 detailing how the grant money can be used.* (We do not need an itemized budget but we need confirmation that you have read and understood how grant funds may be used.)
 

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