Delegates from the French Embassy (left), ATLAS (center) and CCTSS sign the collaboration agreement for the CCTSS-ATLAS Chinese-French Literary Translation Workshop. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In the interest of cultivating new talent in Chinese-French translation and reinforcing cultural ties between China and France, the Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network (CCTSS), Association for the Promotion of Literary Translation (ATLAS) and the French Embassy have organized a training initiative - the CCTSS-ATLAS Chinese-French Literary Translation Workshop. For this initiative, the aforementioned three organizations will select six young translators (three from China and three from France) for nine weeks of training in China and France. Throughout the initiative, outstanding translators will receive professional guidance and training as they translate the selected works.

Schedule

Dates: March 19 (Monday) - May 19 (Saturday), 2018

Locations: Paris, Arles, Beijing and Nanjing

Participants are to spend four weeks in residence in Arles and three weeks in residence in China before completing a one-week course in public reading. Through expert guidance and rigorous practical exercises, participants will learn to overcome dilemmas in literary translation caused by cultural differences, thus improving their skills as translators while at the same time encouraging cultural exchanges between China and France.

Candidacy: French-language translators

Support for participants

For the nine-week workshop, organizing parties will pay for all of the participants' travel, accommodation and dining expenses, as well as their tuition. 

Conditions of eligibility for potential candidates

- Candidates should be no older than 40 (although exceptions may be made depending on the applicant's qualifications);

- Candidates must be free to participate in the entirety of the workshop, from March 17 to May 19, 2018;

- Priority will be given to candidates whose works have already been published (either as standalone works or as part of a compilation, such as a periodical or magazine);

- Translators may only participate in this initiative once; 

- Candidates must provide proof that they have valid medical insurance that covers their short-term residency in France.

Document requirements

Applicants must thoroughly fill in and submit an application form in addition to providing a portfolio (the required contents of which are outlined in detail below);

The following types of proposals will not be considered:

- Self-published works;

- Relayed translations, such as proposals to retranslate the French or Chinese translation of a work that was not originally written in either of these languages.

Application procedure

1. Submit the following documents:

- A personal statement in which you describe the relevance of the initiative to your studies and career, as well as the benefits that you seek to obtain from the initiative;

- A proposal in which you introduce the work that you wish to translate during the initiative, as well as outlining the specific challenges inherent in translating your chosen work;

- A five- to ten-page translation sample and the corresponding original text;

Note: If the candidate has already signed a contract to translate their selected work, they must include either a copy of this contract or another document from the work's legal publisher attesting to the availability of the work's translation rights.

- A resume

2. Registration website: 

Please log on to the official website (www.cctss.org), read the detailed information and register as requested.

3. Deadline: Jan 25, 2018

4. Contact person: Xu Donghao (010-82300038)

Admission and assessment:

Applications are to be examined by a committee composed of delegates from relevant authorities, leading figures of the publishing industry, and French-language experts. The committee will decide to accept, refuse or defer applications in an impartial manner.

To obtain more information and sign up, please visit www.cctss.org.