The school is intended for beginner translators of Belarusian literature into Polish – those before their literary debut or with no more than five published translations.
Participants will become familiar with the full cycle of a translator’s work: literary text analysis, editing translations, understanding the publishing market and copyright law, as well as learning how to apply for funding for translations.
The program consists of six weekend sessions held between January and June 2026. Each session combines intensive translation workshops with lectures, discussions, and meetings with practitioners of literature and translation.
The first session will serve as an introduction – participants will get to know each other, take part in initial translation workshops, attend sessions devoted to contemporary Belarusian literature, and see a theater performance.
Subsequent months will focus primarily on translation practice, complemented by discussions on the book market in Belarus and in the diaspora, the challenges of translation, and translation theory. A significant part of the program will be language workshops designed to improve participants’ command of Polish in the context of translation practice.
Later sessions will address the contemporary literary language as well as the practical aspects of a translator’s profession – from signing contracts to working with editors and publishers.
The final session will be dedicated to meetings with authors, an evaluation of participants’ work, and a closing summary of the entire cycle. The program will conclude with a diploma ceremony.
The school has been designed to combine intensive translation practice with inspiring lectures and discussions, while also creating space for networking and deepening knowledge of contemporary Belarusian literature.
The school’s mentors will be:
- Joanna Bernatowicz – translator of Belarusian literature, author of translations including Dogs of Europe by Alhierd Bacharevič and The Long Road Home by Vasil Bykau.
- Dr. Anna Berenika Siwirska – Belarusian studies scholar and linguist, lecturer at the University of Warsaw.
In addition, sessions will be led by Belarusian writers, translators, and publishers active in Poland and in exile.
The workshops will be held at the Mieroszewski Centre in Warsaw on the following dates:
- January 17–18
- February 21–22
- March 21–22
- April 18–19
- May 16–17
- June 20–21
By November 5, 2025, applicants should:
- translate two pages of a chosen literary text (not previously translated) from Belarusian into Polish,
- include the original text,
- fill in the application form available at mieroszewski.pl.
No, participation is free of charge. The Mieroszewski Centre provides materials, accommodation, and meals. Participants cover their own travel costs.
The most important outcome will be an anthology of contemporary Belarusian short stories translated by the participants – a tangible, visible result of the school. In addition, participants will benefit from expert mentoring, hands-on experience, and networking opportunities within the world of literature and publishing.