The annual Manchester Translation Series returns to Manchester Poetry Library for its third year, promising three days of thought-provoking workshops, panels and readings.

Running from March 18th to 20th, the series will celebrate the power of translation to reshape language and literature, with events featuring award-winning poets, editors, and translators from the UK, US and beyond, celebrating the multilingual literary sphere and its place in the publishing industry. 

Sharing their experience and insights with an exciting range of events include award-winning poet, translator and editor Jeffrey Yang (New Directions, New York Review of Books), editors Rachael Allen (Fitzcarraldo Editions, Granta Books), Stefan Tobler (And Other Stories), poet Anita Ngai, Oxford Professor of Poetry A.E. Stallings and Manchester Met PhD student Charlotte Shevchenko Knight, who will be presenting a workshop exploring the poetic possibilities of jokes lost in translation.

Manchester Met’s Dr Brian Sneeden, who has a background as a literary translator, poet and editor, created the Manchester Translation Series two years ago. Sneeden said: “The third annual Manchester Translation Series offers seven events featuring 11 guests, representing over 20 languages, with award-winning poets and translators as well as editors from major presses and journals in the UK and US.

“When I first proposed the Series, my goal was to create a space for the rich diversity of languages among students and writers here at MMU and in Manchester, and also to reflect the dynamic role the Manchester Writing School plays in the broader UK poetry and publishing communities.

“I’m grateful for the support the Series has received from students and faculty in MMU and beyond, and international partners, who share an interest in the creative opportunities translation offers to change both language and literature.”

Attendees will hear about current trends in translation, the significance of linguistic diversity, the roles of literature in our current geopolitical moment and the art of editing, translating and curating multilingual literature, as well as having the opportunity to have lunch with visiting guests.

The event is open to all, with no second language or prior translation experience required – just a curiosity about the multilingual literary world.

Event programme:

Collaborative Translation Workshop (Chair: Jeffrey Yang)
18 March – 10:30am-12:00pm
Join award-winning poet, translator and editor Jeffrey Yang for an engaging collaborative translation workshop.

In Other Words: Editing, Translating, and Curating Multilingual Literature (Chair: Supriya Kaur Dhaliwal | Speakers: Sana Goyal, Nashwa Nasreldin)
18 March – 1:00pm-2:30pm
An insightful discussion on the creative and critical decisions that shape the multilingual literary sphere today.

Translating the Contextual (Chair: Anita Ngai | Speakers: A.E. Stallings, Jeffrey Yang)
19 March – 10:30am-12:00pm
Join Anita Ngai, A.E. Stallings and Jeffrey Yang for a panel discussion exploring how the contextual can (or cannot) be translated.

Trends in Translation: Publishers on UK and US Literary Markets
(Chair: Brian Sneeden | Speakers: Rachael Allen, Stefan Tobler, Jeffrey Yang)
19 March – 1:00pm-2:30pm
Join editors Rachael Allen (Fitzcarraldo Editions, Granta Books), Stefan Tobler (And Other Stories and Jeffrey Yang (New Directions, New York Review of Books) for a lively conversation on the current UK and US markets for literature in translation, chaired by Brian Sneeden (World Poetry Books).

Collaborative Translation Workshop
(Chair: A.E. Stallings)
19 March – 3:00pm-4:30pm
Join Oxford Professor of Poetry A.E. Stallings for an interactive, collaborative translation workshop.

Who’s Laughing Now?: Humour and Poetry in Translation
(Chair: Charlotte Shevchenko Knight)
19 March – 5:00pm-6:30pm
Join Manchester City Poet Charlotte Shevchenko Knight for a workshop exploring the poetic possibilities of jokes lost in translation.

Third Annual Manchester Translation Series Reading featuring A.E. Stallings and Jeffrey Yang
20 March – 6:30pm-8:30pm
Join Oxford Professor of Poetry A.E. Stallings and award-winning poet-translator Jeffrey Yang for a poetry reading, along with a discussion on topics related to translation and the roles of literature in our current geopolitical moment.

The Manchester Translation series will from March 18th-20th at the Manchester Poetry Library. Places for all events are free but limited.

Click on the individual events below to find out more and book your tickets.

For more information visit the Manchester Metropolitan University website and follow @mcrpoetrylibrary.