As part of the $5-million National Translation Program for Book Publishing, the Canada Council for the Arts will host the first-ever rights fair aimed at encouraging more translations of works into Canada’s two official languages.

The event, called Translation: Expand Your Horizons, is set to take place on Jan. 27 and 28 at Ottawa’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, and it will feature a gala dinner, keynote and panel discussions, and plenty of networking opportunities. “There is no venue in Canada where … Canadian publishers of French-language and English-language titles [can meet],” says Catherine Montgomery, program officer for the Canada Council’s writing and publishing section. “The ultimate goal is to increase the number of translation grant applications.”

The inaugural rights fair is free to attend, and while registration officially closed Dec. 10, the Canada Council is still accepting applications. Montgomery says the Canada Council is considering hosting the fair for the two remaining years of the National Translation Program. “After that, I would say it would be up to publishers, if they feel the program should continue,” she says.

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