The Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship Program

For publishers, subagents and translators 

In order to increase the knowledge of Swedish literature and the Swedish book market, we arrange a Fellowship program taking place during the Gothenburg Book Fair, September 25–28. In 2025, we are focusing on literary fiction, so we hereby invite publishers and translators working with those genres to apply.

The fellowship program 2025 takes place September 24–27. (The Book Fair is open 25–28 September)

Foreign publishers, subagents and translators who are interested in publishing/working with Swedish literature of high quality can apply for this program, that is partly booked with lectures and meetings and partly open to individual programs. In 2025, the primary focus is on literary fiction, therefore we encourage publishers, subagents and translators working with those genres to apply.

“It is such a pleasure to arrange this fellowship every year. The fellowship offers an overview of what’s going on in the Swedish book market, and a chance to get a bit closer to authors, editors, translators, agents and the literature in itself and it feels great. But the most rewarding for us is to listen to people sharing thoughts and experience with each other, and we learn a lot ourselves. The world gets bigger during a few days in one of its northern corners!”

— Susanne Bergström Larsson, Head of Swedish Literature Exchange

 

The application period is 13 February–13 March 2025.

For more information, please see The Swedish Arts Council website.

– Thanks to Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship I not only had the opportunity to meet with fellow translators from Swedish but also got to know foreign publishers whom I have met with several times after the Fellowship. Most importantly: Through the Fellowship program I got a deep view into the Swedish bookmarket and into recent literary voices from Sweden.

 

Subsequently discovering an astonishing book, I took the chance to promote it to a German publisher, who will publish my translation of Andrev Waldens Jävla karlar in 2025.”

 

Justus Carl, literary translator (from Swedish, Danish, Norwegian into German), living in Germany.

– Bokmässan will always have a very special place in my trajectory as a publisher. It connected me to passionate professionals, fostered lifelong friendships and gave me valuable insights into Sweden’s book industry and public policies. I spread the word of Bokmässan everywhere I go, hoping that someday we can have an event as well-designed and relevant in Brazil.

 

Leopoldo Cavalcante, Director of Aboio Publishing Group, Brazil