CZECHIA

Information gathered by: Martina Pecková Černá

Editors’ note: The list and information provided may be updated with new findings and opportunities.

1. Where can I find information about contemporary plays in your country?

There is no specific platform for contemporary playwriting and theatre translation in the Czech Republic. Information service about current Czech performing arts is provided by the Arts and Theatre Institute (www.idu.cz), primarily via  the www.performczech.cz portal.

2. Where can theatre translators apply for funding and develop their skills?

The Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic provides support for the publication of Czech literature in translation, which is intended to support the publication of translations of original Czech literature abroad. It is possible to apply for support for an entire book (or a thematic issue of a journal) or an excerpt of 10-25 standard pages of text. Applicants can be publishers, literary agents or translators. Eligible costs include up to 70% of the total costs and supported genres include poetry, prose, children’s and young people’s literature, comics, drama, essays, etc. Priority is given to contemporary literature (www.mkcr.cz).

The Czech Literary Centre provides support for residencies in Brno and Prague for translators of Czech and foreign Czech studies specialists. Study/creative residencies last 3 or 4 weeks. There are no restrictions on age or the target language for translations (https://www.czechlit.cz/en/grant/clc-residencies/).

The Foundation of the Czech Literary Fund supports dramatic creation with grants for the publication of works and scholarships for the writing of original works in this field (plays, scripts, etc.) (https://nclf.cz/oblasti-podpor/).

The Svět a divadlo – SAD (World and Theatre) magazine has been published bimonthly since 1990. Each issue contains a contemporary play by a Czech author or a translation of a play by a foreign author (https://www.svetadivadlo.cz/).

The Publishing Department of the Arts and Theatre Institute publishes original and translated works in the fields of theatre history, theory and criticism including theatre plays in Czech translation (www.idu.cz).

Prague City of Literature, a project to support Prague’s literary life, was initiated in 2009 by the Prague City Library and the Czech Centres. It now brings together more than 30 partners. One of the project’s milestones was receiving  the prestigious title of UNESCO Creative City of Literature in 2014 and subsequent membership in the prestigious UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature network. The call for applications for residencies (foreign writers and translators) takes place once a year, at least one month before the application deadline (https://www.unescoprague.org/vseobecne-podminky/).

Pražský literární dům autorů německého jazyka (Prague Literary House of German Language Authors) offers residencies for foreign applicants. The calls are managed by individual partner organisations in German-speaking countries, primarily Germany (https://www.literarnidum.cz/?page=stipendia).

The programme of the Nadační fond Pramen Luhačovice (Pramen Luhačovice Foundation) focuses on the development of individual talents and professionals and the implementation of cultural, community and civic activities in the city of Luhačovice or with links to it. The foundation offers residencies in Luhačovice for artists from the visual arts, performing arts and dance, as well as literature(https://www.pramenluhacovice.cz/).

Theatre plays by Czech and foreign authors are also published by other publishing houses such as Větrné mlýny or Transteatral.

The Institute for Czech Literature of the Czech Academy of Sciences: The Josef Dobrovský Fellowship

This support for short-term study visits for foreign researchers at the Institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences is intended for foreign researchers who need to study historical, cultural, artistic, language, geographic or natural materials in the Czech Republic as part of their scientific work. Study visits last from 15 to 45 days. The stipend may be used to cover subsistence, accommodation, local transport and other costs (entrance fees at libraries and archives, etc.). The support does not cover travel costs to and from the Czech Republic.

(https://www.udu.cas.cz/cz/institucionalni-dotace-av-cr/fellowship-josefa-dobrovskeho)

The Institute for Czech Literature of the CAS: The Zdeněk Pešat  Stipend

This support for study visits for literary researchers is dedicated to supporting visits by foreign researchers, university lecturers and doctoral candidates dealing with Czech literature in the linguistic or territorial sense. Priority is given to applicants whose projects relate to specialist topics that the ICL is also working on.

(https://ucl.cas.cz/stipendium-zdenka-pesata/#:~:text=Stipendium%20Zde%C5%88ka%20Pe%C5%A1ata%20ud%C4%9Bluje%20od,%C4%8Deskou%20literaturou%20v%20jazykov%C3%A9m%20nebo)

3. Which agencies represent theatre translators?

DILIA Theatre, Literary and Audiovisual Agency is an association of authors and other copyright holders. The Theatre Department of DILIA supplies services concerning theatre matters to both authors and users. It offers plays by the best Czech authors to foreign agents and constantly looks abroad for new play scripts to offer to Czech theatres. It provides support for young and early career  playwrights (grants, lectures, the Evald Schorm Awards etc.) and for translators (workshops for young and early career translators) (www.dilia.cz).

Aura-Pont is one of the first independent cultural institutions founded in post-revolutionary Czechoslovakia. It arranges licensing rights for the use of works of art, both literary and musical, in the original and in translation, and provides a full agency, legal and financial service, advising on the selection of the ideal drama tailored to your specific needs (https://www.aurapont.cz/).

The Mark Ravenhill Award is part of LETÍ Theatre’s  Centre for Contemporary Drama, which began in 2010. The award for the best production of a contemporary play is an acknowledgment of Czech theatre makers’ achievements in staging contemporary drama.A contemporary play is defined as one written within the ten years preceding the relevant award ceremony. LETÍ Theatre is an independent theatre that has focused on new dramaturgy, from Europe in particular, since it was founded in 2005 (https://divadlo-leti.cz/).

4. Which organisations bring together theatre translators?

The Society of Translators brings together translators of fiction (prose, poetry, dramatic texts) and theoreticians, critics and historians who are consistently engaged in literary translation. The mission of the association is to defend the rights and promote the professional interests of its members, to ensure the standard and prestige of literary translation, to organise and support meetings of translators and the exchange of experience and organise activities supporting the professional development of translators and raising awareness of translation work and its importance (https://www.obecprekladatelu.cz/).

5. Where can I find practical answers to questions about fees, contracts, social security, status of an artist, consultation services etc. for theatre translators?

The status of artist is a new legislative norm that is currently being discussed in the Czech Republic and will become an instrument of possible financial support for artists, who often occupy a very specific position on the labour market. The legislative anchoring of the status of artist is one of the tasks that are defined in the Czech Recovery Plan (the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Czech Republic contributes to addressing the need to support the recovery of the cultural and creative sectors that have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic).