CELA

The problem

Literature in smaller European languages rarely crosses borders, because there are too few trained literary translators working between non-English pairs – and emerging writers have no route to a foreign publisher.

The solution

CELA pairs emerging writers with emerging translators across eleven countries, combining training, mentoring, cross-border residencies and festival showcasing, and deliberately prioritising direct language pairs rather than routing everything through English.

What is distinctive

It treats translation capacity as infrastructure to be built, on a four-year horizon rather than a project cycle.

Evidence

• Led by Wintertuin (NL) with 13 partner organisations, including Passa Porta (BE) and Scuola Holden (IT).
• 165 literary artists across 11 countries in the current edition.
• Co-funded by Creative Europe; third edition runs 2024–2028.

Compiled from public sources, August 2026. Not yet reviewed by the organisation.