British Centre for Literary Translation

The PETRA-E Network is delighted to announce its third conference on literary translation, hosted by the British Centre for Literary Translation.

There is much discussion at present about the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the world of literary translation, and translator organisations have been understandably circumspect, but as the perceived threat of AI intensifies, so too does interest in the uniquely human factors that translators bring to their work. This conference will focus on the human creativity that is resistant to the rise of AI – on the extent to which the literary translator can be considered an original author, how creativity and experimentation can be cultivated in the classroom, how a translator’s creativity might need to be constrained and how it thrives on constraints. 

BCLT Literary Translation Workshop

The Good Enough Translator with Rosalind Harvey

Delivered by the British Centre for Literary Translation.

Taking as inspiration child psychiatrist Donald Winnicott’s notion of the ‘good enough’ parent, this workshop will give participants the space in which to play freely and to create ‘good enough’ translations, where so-called ‘mistakes’ are actively encouraged. If making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn, both as a human child and as a translator, then here we will produce a series of creative mishearings that sit break down the boundaries between translation and poetry and allow us to learn from the process. Wrong answers only!

This event will run ONLINE from 5.30-7.00pm (GMT) on Wednesday 22nd April

BCLT Literary Translation Workshop

Write Like a Translator with Charlotte Whittle

Delivered by the British Centre for Literary Translation.

We know we are writing when we translate, but what are we translating when we write? This workshop invites participants to think about the inextricable ties between writing and translation, encouraging translators to notice how their professional skills as readers and translators have equipped and prepared them to explore their own creative writing practice. Through discussion and structured writing exercises, you will emerge with renewed confidence in your own writing abilities.

This event will run IN-PERSON on Wednesday 6 May from 5:30-7:00pm at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.

PLEASE ONLY REGISTER IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED AN OFFER EMAIL FROM BCLT.

The annual BCLT Summer School brings together writers and translators for an intensive, one-week, programme of hands-on translation and creative writing practice. The event this year will be taking place ONLINE.

The 2026 Summer School will run from Monday 20th - Friday 24th July 2026.

The sessions will run between 9.30am-6pm (BST), with optional evening activities from 7pm-9pm (BST).