The Stephen Spender Prize has launched its 2022 competition for entries by the deadline of 15th July. This is an annual competition to translate into English any poem from any language, ranging from Arabic to Uzbek, from Danish to Somali, as well as British Sign Language, with a chance to win cash prizes. There is a Youth Prize, the Romanian Spotlight prize in three age categories for young people under 18, as well as an open category for adults. All entrants must be UK or Irish citizens or residents, or pupils at a British School overseas.
Watch the video for more details on how to enter this year’s competition and tips for translation, visit the prize webpage or read on for more details about the different prize categories for 2022.
Teachers can register here to involve their students. All those who register will receive regular resources and activities to help them to integrate creative translation into their teaching.
Youth Prize
The poem you translate can be from any language, ancient or modern, inlcuding British Sign Language. The prize celebrates poetry in all its forms and genres, so texts from rap, spoken word and slam poetry are very welcome. Poems should inspire you. Age categories for young people are 14-and-under, 16-and-under, and 18-and-under and entry is free. There are cash prizes of up to £150 and publication in the prize booklet for the winners.
Entries must be in written form, but any commended entrants from rap/spoken word/slam genres would later be invited to make a video, should they wish, for publication on our website and social media channels. A commentary about the poem in no more than 300 words needs to accompany the poem translation.
For British Sign Language translations, a BSL video of the original poem can be submitted, although the English translation itself should still be in written form.
Click here to see the Prize Resources hub for booklets of suggested poems, videos and more, and the YouTube channel for mini masterclasses and videos by previous winners.
Click here for full details and terms and conditions
Romanian Spotlight 2022
In 2022, the Romanian Spotlight prize and workshop series brings translation from Romanian into focus. It is aimed at young people in the UK and Ireland who speak Romanian, as well as their peers. There are three age categories for entrants: 18-and-under, 14-and-under and 10-and-under and entry is free.
Entrants are invited to translate one or more poems from a specially curated selection put together by Spotlight judge Gabi Reigh in the Romanian Spotlight booklet. Entrants do not have to be fluent in Romanian to enter the prize: it is open to all those interested in trying their hand at translation.
Open Prize
Adults can submit an English translation of a poem in any language (including British Sign Language) with a commentary of up to 300 words. Click here for full details, terms and conditions and resources. Entries cost £9 per translated poem. there is a top prize of £1000 for the winner of this prize.
Resources and inspiration
Are you an educator interested in using poetry translation in the classroom, or an adult entrant looking for some guidance about translating poetry? These resources have been provided by the Stephen Spender Trust, as well as tips and inspiration from previous winners and former judges of the Stephen Spender Prize.
- Explore the Prize Resources hub and Resources homepage for a wealth of resources – from booklets of suggested poems to video tutorials, poetry workshop ideas, worksheets and more.
- Download the PDF resource for adult newcomers to poetry translation and 2021 winning entries prize booklet.
- Head over to the YouTube channel for a range of practical walkthroughs on translating poetry and to hear from previous Prize winners and commendees.
- More ideas for using translation with children and young people can be found on our Translators in Schools sub-site, and on the Modern Poetry in Translation websites.
Selecting a Poem and the Ethics of Translation
When you enter the Stephen Spender Prize, we want you to translate poems that speak to your heart; poems that inspire you. Through the act and process of translation, we want to open people’s eyes and minds to unfamiliar cultures and languages, and for them to engage with the linguistic traditions that form part of their own lives.
Poetry can be moving, funny, sad, intense and exciting. It can also be challenging. Poems from different times and places sometimes embody attitudes that may offend some readers, and some poets are controversial because of things that they did or said off the page. In some instances, the sharing of a writer’s work is questioned when such controversy arises. We believe that it is important to make such matters part of public debate, rather than removing uncomfortable issues from sight.
The Stephen Spender Prize is a celebration of dialogue between cultures, and good dialogue depends on both freedom and respect. And so, we ask two things of you when you are selecting a poem for translation.
- Firstly, make sure that you are comfortable with the attitude of the poem and the conduct of the poet (if this is known), and think sensitively about how it may be read by others. If you are selecting poems for children to translate, then please take care on their behalf.
- Secondly, if you think the poem is challenging for either of the above reasons, but would like to translate it anyway, you may wish to reflect on this in your commentary.