Found in translation

The Gdańsk Literary Meetings „Odnalezione w tłumaczeniu” (Found in Translation) is a unique - because it is primarily devoted to the art of translation - literary festival. The translation we are talking about is, on the one hand, an intimate confrontation with a text and, on the other, a way of building relations between people, cultures and art genres. Each edition of the event is accompanied by the presentation of the Award of the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk for Translation Studies named after Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński.

How do we operate?

Every two years - alternating with the European Poet of Freedom festival - we invite you to „Found in Translation” in the spring. During the festival, which lasts for several days, we organise meetings with writers and translators, debates around the themes central to a given edition, a masterclass, translation sparring, workshops and translation lessons. We also prepare artistic events - so far these have included photo exhibitions of male and female translators, a series of literary-inspired performances and a performative reading of Brian Friel's play translated as part of „Found...”. Each edition of the festival has its own theme; editions to date have included a modernist edition, a drama edition, a fantasy edition, an edition dedicated to small languages or Scandinavian literature.

An integral part of the Gdańsk Literary Meetings is the T. Boy-Żeleński Translation Prize. The prize is awarded to living translators and translators of foreign literature into Polish and recognises the mastery of literary translation. The distinction is awarded in two categories: it honours the author or author of the best translation of a new publication and honours an outstanding translator or translator for his or her lifetime achievement in translation. During the Meetings, we organise the award gala and meetings with nominees and winners.

Programme Board

The programme „Found in Translation” is prepared by Magda Heydel, Justyna Czechowska, Urszula Kropiwiec and Aleksandra Szymańska. The author of the programme of the first edition was Katarzyna Tubylewicz.

Award chapter

Composition of the chapter of the T. Boy-Żeleński (2025): Wojciech Charchalis, Anna Korzeniowska-Bihun, Piotr Paziński, Zofia Szachnowska-Olesiejuk, Anna Wasilewska (chairwoman).

Previous winners and laureates

2025 (overall): Carlos Marrodán Casas (Spanish)
2023 (book translation): Mateusz Kwaterko for his translation from French of Théophile Gautier's Caprices and Zigzags (PIW 2023)
2023 (overall): Ireneusz Kania (various languages)
2023 (book translation): René Koelblen and Stanislaw Waszak for their translation from French of Georges Perec's „Disappearances” (published by Lokator 2022)
2021 (overall): Anna Przedpełska-Trzeciakowska (English)
2021 (book translation): Teresa Tyszowiecka blasK! for her translation from English of the Trinidadian poet and writer Anthony Joseph's book „African Roots of UFOs” (published by the Ha!art Corporation Foundation)
2019 (overall): Malgorzata Lukasiewcz (German)
2019 (book translation): Marcin Szuster for his translation from English of Djuna Barnes's book „Backwoods of the Night” (published by Ossolineum)
2017 (lifetime): Danuta Cirlić-Straszyńska (Serbo-Croatian)
2017 (book translation): Piotr Pazinski for his translation from Hebrew of Shmuel Yosef Agnon's book „The parable of the scribe and other stories” (published by Nisza)
2015: Maryna Ochab (French)

Deadline

„Found in Translation” has been held every two years since 2013, usually in the spring months (April).

Rules of participation

Admission to the Meetings is free of charge. Due to a limited number of places, registration is required for some festival events.

Organisers

The meetings and the award are organised by the Institute of Urban Culture. The award is funded by the City of Gdańsk.