Polish-Ukrainian School of Translation | edition 2 | Mieroszewski Centre

Are you a budding translator? These classes are just for you! Thanks to our translation school ‘Words to Words’, you will explore the secrets of the art of translation under the guidance of the best tutors and lecturers of East Slavic philology, meet representatives of the publishing market and meet experts who will show you which contracts are worth signing and which are better left out. This is a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in working on literary translation.

From a file on the computer to a book - your translation will not disappear in a drawer

During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the full cycle of a translator's work: from analysing a literary text and editing your own translation, through orientation on the publishing market to the legal aspects of translator's work and obtaining funding for translations that have not yet been published. We have brought together leading specialists in Ukrainian philology, who will not only impart their knowledge to the participants, but will also support them at every stage of their studies. Thanks to individual consultations, each participant will have the chance to develop his or her skills under the guidance of a mentor, and after completing a six-month cycle of meetings, the workshop will end with the publication of an anthology with the participants' translations, which creates a unique opportunity to make a debut in the world of literature.

A school that opens the door to the world of literature

Our workshops are not only about practical learning, but also about meeting authorities in the publishing industry. The programme will include lectures by experienced translators, editors and publishing market experts. In this way, participants will gain not only theoretical knowledge, but also the skills necessary to work independently as translators. Over six weekend meetings, which will take place from January to June 2025, participants will focus on the translation of Ukrainian literature, with a particular emphasis on prose with Crimean themes. This will not only develop translation skills, but also contribute to building cultural dialogue between Poland and Ukraine.

We have been successfully translating for years - now it's time for you

We have been successfully organising our in-house translation programme ‘Words to Words’ since 2017. Over the past editions, we have built our reputation as an institution supporting the development of young translators of literature. The measure of success for us is not only the growing interest in the workshops, but above all the fact that many of our graduates have successfully established themselves on the publishing market and in the world of literature.

To date, the Mieroszewski Centre has organised eight editions of the workshop: six of them were devoted to translations of Russian literature, as well as premiere editions of translations from Ukrainian and Georgian, responding to the growing demand for translations from these cultural areas.

Full financial support

The Mieroszewski Centre covers the costs associated with participation in the workshops, including materials, accommodation and food. This will ensure that nothing prevents you from focusing fully on developing your skills.

The workshop will include 6 weekend meetings (Saturday-Sunday) once a month and one-to-one consultations with mentors. Each of our meetings will be divided into two parts: lectures by master teachers, experienced translators, editors, publishers and experts, and workshop work on translated texts.

Dates of meetings:

• 18-19.01.2025
• 15-16.02.2025
• 15-16.03.2025
• 12-13.04.2025
• 10-11.05.2025
• 07-08.06.2025

Applications and deadlines

The workshop will start in January 2025 and run until June. They will be held at the premises of the Mieroszewski Centre in Warsaw. To participate in the recruitment, participants must submit by 31 October 2024:

1. three pages of a translation of a previously untranslated literary text of your choice from Ukrainian into Polish, together with the original text;
2. a CV with brief information about previous publications (applies to translators who have made their publishing debut);
3. a motivation letter, including an answer to the question: what do you expect from the workshop and why did you choose this particular text for translation.

Please send your applications to: kontakt@mieroszewski.pl with the words ‘Words to Words’.

Don't miss your chance and join the ranks of future masters of literary translation!