SINT MAARTEN/BELGIUM - The Literary Translation Days, organized by the Dutch Foundation for Literature, took place in Antwerp, Belgium, on June 26 and 27. The event was organized by Literature Vlaanderen and the Dutch Foundation for Literature. Authors and translators Loekie Morales and June Leonora received a professional development grant from the Foundation to attend the event.
The Literary Translation Days are an annual two-day event for the literary translation profession. It offers an excellent opportunity for literary translators to learn about new developments in the field, exchange knowledge, and meet fellow translators from various countries. For years, the event took place in the Netherlands; this marks the first time Antwerp has served as the host city. For two days, the University of Leuven’s Opera Campus opened its doors for a varied program of lectures and workshops.
The theme of this edition is "The Translator’s Voice." In a translation landscape under immense pressure and undergoing profound changes due to artificial intelligence, the literary translator’s voice is more important than ever. Attention has been paid to the uniqueness, artistry, and influence of the human voice—both in the literal sense (the translator within the text) and in the figurative sense (the translator outside the text).
Keynote speakers Kate Briggs and Ton Naaijkens brought to life the sound of the translator’s elusive voice. The translator’s voice was explored in its many guises. What similarities and differences do translators who are also authors perceive between their voice as a translator and their voice as an author, and what voices does the Dutch language possess?
A case was made for a multiplicity of voices and decolonial translation. Attention was also paid to a unique production of Anton Chekhov’s *The Seagull*, in which, for the first time, a mixed cast of deaf and hearing actors performed a classic play in Flemish Sign Language. Authors and translators were interviewed about writing and translation, and an exploratory discussion took place regarding the boundaries and possibilities of AI in translated literature.
In the presentation *Translation as Public Space*, participants are invited to experience the city as a living archive. Walk through cities and discover the languages of residents on walls, in parks, and elsewhere. You will be surprised by the polyphony of the act of translation and by the process of exploring it.
‘A meaningful way to convey the concept of ‘feeling the translation’ in songs was a performance by a singer who sang Vader Abraham’s ‘Kleine Café aan de Haven’ first in Dutch and then in English. The audience could sing along. Even when translating songs, it is essential to convey emotion and meaning effectively. I sang along at the top of my lungs and visibly enjoyed the performance,’ said Morales.
On June 26, the Dutch Foundation for Literature also awarded the 2026 Translation Talent Prize to Chiara Nardo, a translator from Dutch who has demonstrated remarkable talent while building her body of work and who is actively committed to the translation profession.
Both Leonora and Morales attended the symposium and the workshops—specifically the AI training sessions held on June 27th. As authors and translators working with Dutch, they were eligible for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses through the development grant for literary translators. They also participated in a workshop exploring the themes of artificial intelligence and "intelligent art," and the role these play in the translation of literary works; this included exploratory discussions regarding the boundaries and possibilities of AI in translated literature.
Morales states: ‘The days in Antwerp were truly worthwhile and inspiring. It was an eye-opener, especially regarding what can be achieved with AI in the fields of writing and—above all—translation. It is also important for our foundation, Beyond Kultura, to stay in touch with developments in the translation profession. BKEF invests a great deal of energy in translating Caribbean-oriented literature into the four languages we use almost daily across our Dutch Caribbean islands: English, Dutch, Papiamentu/o, and increasingly, Spanish,’ she says.
The Literary Translation Days are made possible with financial support from the Lira Fund, the Dutch Foundation for Literature, Literature Flanders, the Centre of Expertise for Literary Translation, De Auteurs, and the Auteursbond.
