2 February 2026

Call for Applications:

TANDEM “Author with Translator – Translator with Author” Fellowships at NEC

Deadline: 15 March 2026

New Europe College, Institute for Advanced Study in Bucharest, welcomes applications for this innovative Fellowship programme in the academic year 2026/27, supported by S. Fischer Stiftung (Berlin).

TANDEM, Author with Translator – Translator with Author is a programme exclusively dedicated to literati, writers and translators, with the aim to promote literature from the Black Sea Region by encouraging the dissemination of important contemporary works to neighbouring countries with different language communities. Thereby, the program seeks to deepen and disseminate the knowledge in and about the literary landscapes around the Black Sea, and to strengthen understanding and respect among the peoples and cultures all around.

Tandem Fellows work on texts written in and translated into the native languages that are spoken in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Türkiye and Ukraine (including minority languages, e.g. Crimean Tatar). Both the original and the translation must be in one of these languages. It is primarily works of fine literature (novels, short stories, poetry, etc.) that are eligible. Non-fiction books can also be proposed, provided that they are aimed at a broader audience and have literary qualities.

Tandem Fellowships consist of:

• • a residence of two consecutive months at New Europe College in Bucharest for both Tandem Fellows (author and translator) simultaneously;
  • a €1,000 monthly stipend for each Tandem Fellow;
  • travel and accommodation funds;
  • workspace and office equipment at New Europe College;
  • assistance with visa procedures, residence permit, access to local institutions (libraries), etc.

Additional funds for working materials or for small public events may be granted depending on the case.

During their residency, Tandem Fellows are part of the diverse international community of NEC Fellows and are invited to participate in all NEC events.

Conditions:

The writer (novelist, poet, children’s or nonfiction author) and his / her translator are in residence at NEC at the same time and stay for two consecutive months. Selected Tandem Fellows (author and translator) can indicate a preferred period for their Fellowship. However, the exact period of the residency shall be agreed upon together with NEC.

Start of the two-month fellowships: earliest in October 2026.

Application:

Applications may be submitted jointly or by one of the Tandem partners. If the application is submitted by one member of the team, the other shall confirm his/her participation in writing.

The application must include short CVs for both persons with a list of works, as well as a description of the work to be translated (which should be already published or at least accepted for publication). The application must also justify the choice of that particular work to be translated. The addition of a short excerpt of the chosen text in English would be appreciated.

A good command of English is expected.

Candidates shall email the application form and the documents requested (CVs, letter of commitment, etc.) in PDF format to tandem@nec.ro

The deadline for submitting applications is 15 March 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be taken into consideration.

Selected candidates will be invited to an online interview at the end of April 2026.
Successful candidates will be announced by the end of April 2026.

The application form is available here.

Contact person: Mihaela Danga, mdanga@nec.ro