City of Vienna - Subsidies for Literature - Translator Award of the City of Vienna

Translator Award of the City of Vienna

For a literary translation you have produced, you will receive a one-off prize of 4,000 EUR. This is a one-off award, not an ongoing grant. The City of Vienna awards this prize to support emerging translators. Each year, the jury sets a theme. For 2026, the theme is ‘Queerness in literature’: translations of texts about queer lived experiences, the struggles of LGBTIQ* people or minorities, texts that break with traditional genre conventions, or texts that incorporate voices from outside the Western canon. The Forum Literaturübersetzen Österreich organises the prize on behalf of the City.

Who can apply

• Vienna link: You were born in Vienna or have had your main residence there for at least one year.
• Experience level: You are a newcomer who has not yet published any work, or who has only just published your first literary translation.
• What you translate: A literary text (poetry, prose, drama, essay, children’s or young adult literature, or a scholarly work in the humanities) translated from a foreign language into German or into a recognised regional or minority language of Austria.
• The sample: Your translation has not yet been published, has not yet won a prize, and comprises between 10 and 15 standard pages. It must not be a translation of your own text.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. The only decisive factor is a connection to Vienna.
• Age: No age limit.

How to apply

Please email your translation sample, the original text, a brief CV showing your connection to Vienna, and the completed form to the Forum Literaturübersetzen Österreich by 30 September. Do not include your name in the translation itself. A jury comprising translators and language experts will assess the entries anonymously.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly selective. You must have a connection to Vienna, have no previous experience in literary translation, and translate a text that fits the theme for that particular year. The pool of eligible applicants is therefore small. As only one prize is awarded each year, it ultimately comes down to the quality of your sample translation compared with that of the other few applicants. If you meet the criteria and submit a convincing translation that is ready for publication, you have a realistic chance of winning.