Literature
What we do internationally
We work to support, promote, and raise the profile of Danish literature internationally by coordinating the Danish presence at international literary and cultural events and projects in Denmark and abroad.
This includes:
- Organising Danish stands at the book fairs in Bologna, Frankfurt, and London.
- Coordinating the literary part of official Danish cultural projects abroad.
- Visitors programmes for international translators, publishers, journalists, and promoters.
Funding programmes
The Danish Arts Foundation's Committee for Literature runs a number of international funding programmes. These funding programmes are intended for publishers, translators, foreign institutions and authors seeking funding for trips or translation of work in connection with specific literary projects.
We fund the following areas:
- Grants for publishers to cover translation fees.
- Grants for translators and publishers for the production of sample translations.
- Travel grants for translators. Professional translators with at least two published works to their name can apply for grants to cover trips abroad in connection with a specific translation project or study trips to extend/refresh their linguistic and cultural knowledge.
- Grants for the attendance by Danish authors at literary festivals, readings and promotional events in connection with the publication of works abroad. Furthermore, we award grants to fund visits to Denmark by foreign authors.
- Grants for the publication of Danish literature in translation.
Books from Denmark
‘Books from Denmark’ gives you an overview of current Danish titles selected by the Danish Arts Foundation, which are intended for the international book market.
Modern Classics
The Danish Arts Foundation has established an initiative to promote 10 outstanding Danish modernist novels from the 1970s to today.
Information about a temporary 50% guarantee of grants for translations
Due to the coronavirus meeting places are empty and cultural events are cancelled. Yet literature and culture remain as important as ever.
With a temporary 50% guarantee of grants for translations the literature export organisations in the Nordic countries wish to encourage further exchange of literature and reinforce the support for translation of fiction, non-fiction and children's literature for the benefit of authors, translators, publishers and literary agencies.
Provided they are approved by the respective country, applications for translation grants are therefore guaranteed a 50% grant towards the translation costs. Contemporary literature will be prioritized.The guarantee remains valid as long as the situation requires and applies for applications from April throughout 2020, or as long as the budgets allow it. After this the need to prolong the guarantee will be evaluated.
Application deadlines, requirements and criteria for support remain unchanged.
News from Danish Literature Abroad
If you would like to be kept up-to-date about ‘Books from Denmark’ and receive short news about Danish literature abroad, you can register in our news list.