The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) has been awarded a $5,000 Festival Grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the State of Arizona. The grant was one of 375 grants awarded this year to nonprofit arts organizations, arts festivals, and arts learning programs throughout the state, representing a total investment of over $2.5 million. 

“Through the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the State of Arizona endeavors to ensure that all Arizonans can participate in and experience the arts,” said Christina You-sun Park, Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts “Through these grants the Arts Commission partners with organizations across the state that are dedicated to serving their communities through the arts.”

The grant will support Arizona Translates!. This is a series of public events held by ALTA and its community together with local partners in Tucson, aimed at bringing amazing literature in translation from around the world to the Tucson community. All events will take place concurrently with the upcoming ALTA conference, ALTA48: Visions and Versions from November 5-8, and are free and open to the public.

Some of the Arizona Translates! events include the keynote address by ALTA48 keynote speaker Karen Emmerich; a special reading with her held at the UA Poetry Center; a staged reading and talkback with the winner of the 5th annual Plays-in-Translation Contest at the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre; a poetry reading and party with presses publishing poetry in translation; a reading featuring the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Literary Translators Caucus; a beginner-friendly reading and open mic night for literary translators; and much more! Keep your eyes peeled for more information coming soon.