The Mentorship Programme is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a literary translation project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project.
The Mentorship Programme is comprised of several language-specific mentorships and one non-specific mentorship established in partnership with funders that change annually. Genre criteria may also apply. Each year mentors are selected to serve in mentorship pairs based on their expertise on the language and form requirements of that year’s mentorships.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months of the programme. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the northern hemisphere autumn.
Emerging translators who have published no more than one full-length work of literary translation can apply. Though contemporary English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. They also welcome applications from team.
The Mentorship Programme includes a 1,500 USD travel stipend to cover travel to the conference location and on-site accommodation. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees.
