The Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles is collaborating with the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) to offer the 2027 ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship in Literature from Taiwan. Applications will be accepted until November 30. This program is intended for emerging translators who have not yet published a full-length literary translation.
Read More
Natascha Bruce has been appointed as the mentor for the 2027 program. Bruce, a recipient of an English PEN award for her translation of “Lake Like a Mirror,” has substantial cross-cultural experience and has previously translated screenplays for Taiwanese films. Under her mentorship, the selected mentee will gain insights into text translation techniques, pitch preparation, and copyright negotiation, all aimed at promoting Taiwanese literature to a global audience. The mentorship will commence in February 2027 and spans nine months. The mentee will showcase their work-in-progress at the ALTA50 conference in Tucson, Arizona, allowing them to network with translators and publishers from around the world.
Established in 1978, ALTA launched the Emerging Translator Mentorship Program in 2015 to foster relationships between seasoned translators and emerging talent. The program has successfully supported over 100 translators across more than 30 languages.
Notable Taiwanese works that have been published through the program include Fang Si-Chi’s “First Love Paradise,” translated by Jenna Tang, and “The Northwest Rain,” translated by Tony Hao, which is expected to be released in late 2027.
For further details and to submit an application, please visit literarytranslators.org/2027-alta-emerging-translator-mentorship-program-applications-open.