The American Literary Translators Association

What Is the American Literary Translators Association?

The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting everyone involved in literary translation. It serves as a central hub for individual translators, universities, publishing houses, and other professionals in the field. ALTA’s mission is to champion literary translators, help the art of literary translation flourish, and serve everyone who reads, writes, teaches, or publishes translated literature.

Founded in 1978, ALTA has worked to build cultural connections and understanding between countries and languages through the craft of literary translation.

History

ALTA was co-founded by Rainer Schulte and A. Leslie Willson in 1978 at the University of Texas at Dallas. The goal from the beginning was to support literary translators, advance the art of literary translation, and foster cultural understanding. ALTA remained based at the University of Texas at Dallas until 2013, when it became an independent non-profit arts association. It later relocated to Tucson and became affiliated with the College of Humanities at The University of Arizona.

What ALTA Offers

• Annual conference: ALTA’s flagship gathering for the literary translation community.
• Year-round events: Conferences, workshops, and webinars held throughout the year.
• Awards: Recognition for outstanding translation work.
• Fellowships and mentorships: Programs designed to help new translators get started.
• Job board: Postings from organizations actively seeking translators.
• Publications and resources: Guides, articles, and other materials for professional development.

How to Get Involved

1. Visit the ALTA website to explore resources for literary translators.
2. Consider membership, which can unlock networking opportunities, access to job postings, and discounts on events.
3. Check upcoming events to find conferences, workshops, or webinars of interest.
4. Browse the job board for translation work opportunities.
5. Share your work through submission opportunities, contests, or publishing avenues ALTA offers.
6. Connect with other translators through ALTA’s community channels and social media.
7. Stay up to date with news and new resources, or get involved by volunteering or joining an ALTA committee.