Uncertainty Surrounds Slovenian Literary Translator Training Program After Nearly 30 Years

Running for nearly three decades, the multi-day literary translation workshop is geared toward emerging translators, final-year secondary school students, and foreign-language students, as well as anyone interested in literary translation. However, JSKD is contemplating changes to the program due to inadequate staff and financial resources.

This year's workshop almost did not occur but was salvaged through a partnership between JSKD and the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators (DSKP). Their successful application to the Slovenian Book Agency’s Reading Culture program partially funded the mentors' fees.

The 28th edition of Prevajalnica is scheduled for September 24–27, 2026, primarily at Tartini House in Piran. Participants will work on contemporary literary texts from eight languages—English, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Swedish—translating them into Slovenian under the guidance of established translators and academics. Notably, the German-language workshop will be held in Ljubljana.

Each language group will accommodate seven to 12 participants and will include collaborative translation efforts alongside literary and musical events. Selected translations produced during the workshops are expected to be published in the literary magazine “Mentor” in February 2027.

Some translations from Prevajalnica have been issued as books, with 20 titles published in JSKD’s “Mentorjeva prevajalnica” series since 2006.

The precarious status of the program has raised alarms within Slovenia's professional translation community. In September, DSKP emphasized Prevajalnica’s nearly 30-year history and the program's uncertain future, pointing to the diminishing informal educational opportunities for literary translators in Slovenia.

These concerns are set against a backdrop of broader financial pressures on public cultural funding in Slovenia. In July, the Culture Ministry identified an 8.9 million euro shortfall in funding needed to fulfill statutory and contractual obligations until the end of 2026, cautioning that approved funding might be cut as the government revises its budget.

Despite the challenges, Kovač noted that investment in Slovenia’s translation infrastructure continues to grow, citing grants for foreign publishers, workshops for translators, and support for Slovenian publishers to attend international book fairs.

This potential loss of training opportunities arises as Slovenia has significantly increased the international distribution of its literature. The Slovenian Book Agency estimated in 2019 that about 100 translations of Slovenian books were published each year. By the time Slovenia was set to be the Guest of Honor at the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair, that number had risen to nearly 200 translations annually, comprising about 50 original titles.

Slovenia is also promoting literary translation through various initiatives, such as professional training focused on translated literature during the 2026/27 academic year. This program will include an eight-hour session examining the intersection of artificial intelligence and literary translation in schools and libraries. Furthermore, DSKP is preparing for its International Translation Symposium, scheduled for October 16–18, 2026, in Ljubljana.

Although the 28th edition of Prevajalnica is set to run from September 24–27, 2026, in Piran and Ljubljana, JSKD and DSKP have yet to announce a long-term funding arrangement or confirm the program's status for 2027.