Explore the incredible work of our talented Emerging Translators, graduates of the 2025-26 mentorship programme. Their translations spotlight literatures that are often underrepresented in English.
Join us in celebrating another successful year of the National Centre for Writing’s flagship programme, dedicated to championing new literary translators into English. Experience fresh work from some of the most exciting emerging literary translators working today.
The most intriguing thing for me to translate is prose with a poetic tilt. For example, stream of consciousness narratives where creating a certain flow or rhythm is of the essence.
Meet our talented 2026 graduates—fresh from six months of mentorship—who will introduce and share readings from their translation projects:
- Quaid Cey – Dutch from Flanders to English, mentored by Jonathan Reeder
- Kristin Dilani Nadarajah – Norwegian to English, mentored by Rosie Hedger
- Alaa Faez Flayyih Beej – Arabic to English, mentored by Sawad Hussain
- Philomena Marmion – Lithuanian to English, mentored by Kotryna Garanasvili
- Kata Veress – Faroese to English, mentored by Marita Thomsen
- Nachiket Vidyadhar Joshi – Marathi to English, mentored by Mohini Gupta
- Madeleine Wulfahrt – Polish to English, mentored by Sean Gasper Bye
- Dasom Yang – Korean to English, mentored by Clare Richards
Read more about the translators here.
Watch the showcase below
About the Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme
Established in 2010 by Daniel Hahn, the Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme is now in its 16th year. Its aim is to develop successive new cohorts of literary translators into English, particularly for languages whose literature is currently under-represented in English translation.
The scheme matches up experienced translators with emerging literary translators for a six-month period during which they work together on practical translation projects, developing their craft through working on a chosen text or texts. Mentees receive a bursary and their mentorship also includes two industry weekends especially tailored to the needs of emerging translators as well as a visit to London Book Fair and attendance of the Assembly of Literary Translators in London.
Since its inception, the programme has supported 148 mentees working in 39 languages. Many of our alumni have gone on to become key figures in the translation world. And you will find our recent alumni on such prestigious prize lists as the TA First Translation Award, the ALTA First Translation Award as well as the International Booker Prize longlist and shortlist. The mentorships would not exist without the commitment of our mentors and the support from our partners.
— Rebecca DeWald, Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme Manager
The Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme is supported by Arts Council England, Charles Wallace India, FarLit, Flanders Literature, Literature Translation Institute Korea, Lithuanian Culture Institute, Polish Cultural Institute, Royal Norwegian Embassy, South Asian Literature in Translation, Sheikh Zayed Book Award, The Society of Authors.
Download the Emerging Literary Translators Anthology 2026
Download here
If This Be Magic: Shakespeare in Translation with Daniel Hahn
Daniel Hahn invites us to rethink not only Shakespeare, but language itself in his new book If This Be Magic.
Thursday 1 January
Browse our residency and retreat opportunities
Would you like to stay and write in a UNESCO City of Literature? Residency opportunities offer writers and translators the unique and valuable gift of time, space and freedom, allowing them to produce their best work.
Our residency programme encompasses in-person and virtual residencies for writers and translators. We work with a wide range of partners and funders to support NCW and Norwich UNESCO City of Literature residencies and exchanges, and we also publicise opportunities for creatives to take part in residencies with sister UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world.
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Writing the Future: Norwich UNESCO City of Literature 2025–30
On Thursday 25 September, Norwich UNESCO City of Literature launched its new five-year plan, ‘Writing the Future: Norwich UNESCO City of Literature 2025–30’ — a bold vision to make Norwich a city where reading, writing, and their lifelong benefits are championed and accessible to all.
Developed through over 80 consultations with creative education partners, Norwich City Council, bookshops, libraries, publishers, and others, the strategy will be delivered by the National Centre for Writing (based at Dragon Hall) with Norwich Business Improvement District, the University of East Anglia, Norwich City Council, and Norfolk County Council Library Services.
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