São Paulo – Brazilian literature should gain new momentum abroad with the creation of the International Book Centre at the National Library Foundation (FBN). The structure started operating officially in June, after publication of the new statutes of the FBN, and in coming months new tenders with activities to foster the publication of works abroad should be issued. One of these tenders should grant funds to foreign translators interested in living in Brazil for a period and another should help in the promotion of Brazilian books abroad.
"Brazil has become a vibrant economy and this is reflected in the interest for culture and Brazilian literature,” stated the acting general coordinator of the International Book Centre, Ana Cristina Sá. Furthermore, the FBN has been strengthening its work for promotion of concession of funds for the translation of Brazilian books abroad. "There was already translation, but over the last two years it gained greater importance within the Book, Reading and Literature program,” says Sá. A greater budget has helped incorporate the area.
Currently, there is a tender open for selection of works for translation. Foreign publishing houses may enrol to translate the books and publish them in other languages and countries. This year alone, explained Sá, over 80 disbursements were approved. The tender was opened last year and should remain up to 2013. The granting of funds over the period is permanent and should take place as new enrolment arrives. In total, 250 disbursements should be made. The tender forecasts expenses of R$ 2.7 million (US$ 1.3 billion) with the initiative.
Furthermore, Brazilian authors should be granted new forms to grow among foreign readers. A disbursement programme for translation should be issued in the near future to include scientific, technical and professional works. In August a call will be issued to aid publishing houses abroad to promote Brazilian authors. Each grant should be of up to US$ 3,000 and will make it possible for the author to travel abroad for promotion of the works at signing sessions, interviews and talks, among others.
Also in August, the call for the programme for foreign translators to live in Brazil will be issued. They may register for a R$ 15,000 purse with which to spend five weeks in Brazil. The idea is for them to be immersed in Brazilian culture. This should be done through centres connected to the programme, including the Fluminense Federal University, Casa Guilherme de Almeida, under the São Paulo State Culture Secretariat, and the Federal University of Santa Catarina. According to Sá, it will not be necessary for the translator, at that moment, to be connected to any project for translation of a Brazilian work.
The coordinator recalls that at the National Library Foundation there were already efforts for internationalisation of Brazilian books. “But creation of the International Book Centre has managed to institutionalize the work that was being developed over the past two or three years, in the administration of Galeno Amorim, who included the area in the Library’s statutes,” said Sá. The centre should operate connected to the presidency, with the advantage of having a specialized team, a specific budget and all the work planned.
Apart from the initiatives mentioned, the new centre should grant funds for the publication of Brazilian books in the countries that are members of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, including Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, St. Thomas and Príncipe, East Timor and Portugal. In the Arab world, according to the coordinator of the International Book Centre, there is not much demand for translation of Brazilian works. Sá points out, however, that worldwide, in general, the interest in Brazilian literature has been growing.
View the call for translation of Brazilian works in Portuguese and English:
http://www.bn.br/portal/arquivos/pdf/Edital-Bolsa-de-Traducao-2012-01.pdf
http://www.bn.br/portal/arquivos/pdf/translation-grant-fbn-minc-2011.pdf
*Translated by Mark Ament
