Submission now open for the Etxepare - LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize

The annual call for entries honouring the best translation of a book written in Basque is now underway. The aim of the Etxepare - LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize is to encourage and promote the translation and publication of literature in the Basque language beyond our borders. The call for entries from the two organising institutions, the Etxepare Basque Institute and LABORAL Kutxa, is open from June 13 to July 1.

The prize, valued at 4,000 euros, is shared equally between the translator and the publishing house. The aim to is to encourage and promote the translation and publication of literature in Basque beyond our borders.

The Etxepare – LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize was created in 2015 to recognise the translation of literary works written and published in Basque. Translation is the bridge that enables Basque writers and their work to reach an international audience. These awards shine a light on the often-overlooked work of the translator.

The contest is open to translators and publishers from around the world, provided they meet the following requirements: the translation was published in 2021 (for this edition), and it is the translation of a literary work originally written and published in Basque.

The winner in 2021 was Nami Kaneko for her translation into Japanese of Bernardo Atxaga´s novel ‘The Accordionist’s Son’, first published in Basque in 2003 by Pamiela. Translated directly from Basque into Japanese, the jury wished to recognise the quality of Kaneko´s work, naming her the winner of the seventh edition of the competition. The book was published by the Shinchosha publishers, with Shigeki Tabata as the editor.