An author who picked up one of the main prizes at this year’s National Eisteddfod of Wales has been awarded an international literary scholarship worth more than £3,000.
Siân Melangell Dafydd, 32, will spend two residencies in two different European countries during 2010 as part of the scholarship which is awarded by Translators’ House Wales and the HALMA network of European literary centres.
The announcement was made during a special event at the Tŷ Newydd National Writers’ Centre in Llanystumdwy, Gwynedd, on Monday 30 November 2009.
“This has come as a lovely surprise especially at the end of a year which, I must admit, has been quite wonderful and quite unlike any other”, said Siân Melangell Dafydd who won the Literary Medal at the 2009 National Eisteddfod for her first novel Y Trydydd Peth (The Third Thing).
“As a result of the HALMA / Translators’ House Wales scholarship, 2010 will be an interesting year: a chance to write, of course, but also to improve my work through working with other writers, and to write with the different perspective which comes in the wake of new experiences and discussions with international authors. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity and for the faith shown in my work,” added Siân who grew up in Meirionnydd but now shares her time between Wales and Paris where she’s writing her second novel.
As well as announcing the winner of the 2010 scholarship, the event at Tŷ Newydd on Monday 30 November also marked the inauguration of the first translation course to be organised by Translators’ House Wales.
The five-day course will focus on translating literature from Wales for the Indian market and will bring Welsh authors together with Bengali, Malayalam and Tamil translators. It follows on from the Writers’ Chain project which linked writers in the UK and India and which was managed by Wales Literature Exchange on behalf of the British Council and Wales Arts International.
“This is a unique opportunity to introduce our literature to audiences in India. The country’s publishing industry is growing quickly and this could be a very important market for us,” said Sioned Puw Rowlands, Director of Wales Literature Exchange and a co-partner with Tŷ Newydd in establishing Translators’ House Wales in March 2009.
“Following the course at Tŷ Newydd, special editions of a magazine introducing Welsh literature will be published in three different languages – Bengali, Malayalam and Tamil.”
Translators’ House Wales also welcomed its first poet in residence in November – Morten Søkilde from Denmark has been working with Welsh poet and fluent Danish speaker John Barnie.
“It has been a privilege to welcome Translators’ House Wales’ first writer in residence to the national writers’ centre here at Llanystumdwy,” said Tŷ Newydd Director, Sally Baker.
“Through our membership of the HALMA network – which links 27 literary institutions across Europe – we hope other writers will follow in Morten Søkilde’s footsteps in the months and years to come. Such residencies enhance our understanding of foreign literatures whilst also taking work from Wales to a wider audience.”
Wales Literature Exchange is supported by Arts Council of Wales.
