CALL TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR 2024 FUNDING

Open from 29 March to 2 May (23:59) 2024  

The aim of the programme for funding projects to promote translations of Lithuanian literature is to support the translation, publication and dissemination of Lithuanian literature globally, and to make the most valued and interesting works of Lithuanian prose, poetry, drama, documentary and children’s literature accessible and known outside Lithuania. 

Projects to promote translations of Lithuanian literature are funded by the state budget. The scheme established for the allocation of these state budget funds is administered by the Lithuanian Culture Institute. The amount allocated for projects to promote translations of Lithuanian literature is EUR 100,000 per year. 

Lithuanian literature eligible for funding includes:  

• Fiction or non-fiction works by Lithuanian authors or by authors of Lithuanian descent, written in Lithuanian or any other language; 
• Works directly related to Lithuanian culture, history and its artists; 
• Illustrated books for children, graphic novels by Lithuanian or Lithuanian related authors.  

Projects to promote translations of Lithuanian literature are funded through a competition. Calls to submit applications are published on the website of the Lithuanian Culture Institute at least twice a year.  

Submission of applications and participation in the competition is open to: 

• Publishers of Lithuania or foreign countries or other legal entities engaged in publishing activities abroad who intend to publish a translation of a work of Lithuanian literature in their countries. 

To participate in the competition for the funding of projects for the TRANSLATION and publishing of a publication, the following documents must be submitted together with the application: 

• a copy of the contract or other written agreement between the applicant and the copyright holder of the publication referred to in the application, granting the applicant the right to use the publication to the extent specified in the application; 
• a copy of the contract or other written document between the applicant and the translator agreeing on the translation of the publication referred to in the application; 
• a free-form description of the professional activities of the translator(s) and a list of translated works or, if this information is publicly available free of charge on the Internet, the link to the relevant website; 
• a free-form covering letter accompanying the application, confirming the accuracy of the information provided in the application and its annexes. The covering letter must be signed by the head of the legal entity submitting the application or by a person authorised by them, enclosing a copy of the power of attorney or other document.  

PLEASE NOTE THAT:

• if documents are submitted in a language other than English or Lithuanian, they must be accompanied by a translation into English or Lithuanian. This translation does not require a notarial certificate of accuracy of the translation of the documents from one language to the other,
• the date of conclusion of the contracts and agreements specified above must in all cases be no later than the date of submission of the application to the Institute. 

For funding of a project for TRANSLATING AND PUBLISHING AN ILLUSTRATED PUBLICATION, the following documents must be submitted together with the application: 

• A copy of the contract between the applicant and the copyright holder(s) of the publication; 
• A copy of the contract between the applicant and the translator of the publication (unless the publication is to be published in the original language); 
• A free-form description of the professional activities of the translator(s) and a list of translated works or, if this information is publicly available free of charge on the Internet, a link to the relevant website (unless the publication is to be published in the original language); 
• a free-form covering letter accompanying the application confirming the accuracy of the information provided in the application and its annexes. The covering letter must be signed by the head of the legal entity submitting the application or by its authorised representative, enclosing a copy of the power of attorney or other document. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT:

• if documents are submitted in a language other than English or Lithuanian, they must be accompanied by a translation into English or Lithuanian. This translation does not require a notarial certificate of accuracy of the translation of the documents from one language to the other,
• the date of conclusion of the contracts and agreements specified above must in all cases be no later than the date of submission of the application to the Institute. 

Evaluation of applications 

Applications that meet the administrative requirements set out in the call for proposals and the Description will be submitted for evaluation to a commission of experts no later than 25 working days after the closure date for receipt of applications specified in the call. 

Applications will be evaluated by a commission of at least three experts in the field of literature and publishing with a score between 0 and 100 according to the established criteria, no later than 15 working days from the date on which the applications are submitted to them.  

The applications will first be evaluated by each member of the commission individually, and then the experts will convene and adopt a consolidated decision.  

Funding may be awarded to applicants whose applications score at least 60.00 points. Having regard to the amount of the state budget allocated, priority will be accorded to applications with the highest scores according to the evaluation criteria.   

Only the following costs may be financed 

• Up to 100% of the translation costs of a publication or illustrated publication, provided that they do not exceed 70% of the total funds required for the implementation of the project; 
• The costs of editing, layout, design and/or printing of an illustrated publication, as well as the costs of acquiring the copyright of the illustrated publication. The amount of financing requested may not exceed EUR 1,000. 

Financing agreement  

The Institute will conclude a financing agreement with an applicant awarded funding. The funding agreement will be concluded in Lithuanian and English. Having regard to the timeframe for implementation of the project envisaged in the application, the following may be concluded with the applicant:  

• a single-phase financing agreement if the end of the project implementation period is before 1 December 2024 (You can find the single-phase agreement form here); or 
• a two-phase financing agreement if the end of the project implementation period is later than 1 December 2024, but in any case not later than 1 December 2025 (You can find the two-phase agreement form here).

The funding allocated to the executor of the project will be transferred on the following basis: 

• in the case of a single-phase financing agreement, 100% of the allocated funding will be transferred to the project executor after the publication is published and the funds allocated for the implementation of the project are accounted for in accordance with the established deadlines (You can find the single-phase project implementation report form here);  
• in the case of a two-phase financing agreement, up to 60% of the amount of financing will be transferred to the project executor after the funds allocated for use in the first phase (You can find the first-phase project implementation report form here) are accounted for and the remainder after the publication is published and the funds allocated for the implementation of the project as a whole are accounted for (You can find the final report form of two-phase project implementation here).   

Before submitting an application, please familiarise yourself thoroughly with: 

• the DESCRIPTION of the programme for the funding of projects promoting translations of Lithuanian literature by the state budget 
• the DESCRIPTION of evaluation criteria for projects to promote translations of Lithuanian literature 
• the REGULATIONS for the work of the Commission of Experts which will evaluate the applications 
• the RECOMMENDATIONS on how to prepare for completion of the application. 

Submit the application for translation of a publication

Submit the application for translation and publishing of an illustrated publication

Enquiries: 

Project Coordinator, Funding Competitions Unit 

Rūta Mėlinskaitė (Mėlynė) 

ruta.melyne@lithuanianculture.lt 

Mob. +370 659 93823