NORLA’s translation subsidies in 2024
Each year, NORLA awards grants to support the translation of a wide range of Norwegian books into other languages. In 2024, a total of 529 grants were awarded for translations into 47 languages. NORLA received 546 applications in total, covering 445 works of fiction and 101 nonfiction titles. Of the 529 grants awarded, nearly a third were books for children and young adults — in total 147 publications.
The total allocated amount in 2024 is NOK 9,960,800.
NOK 8,225,302 was allocated to publications in languages outside the Nordic region, and NOK 1,735,500 to publications in Nordic languages. Translation funding is financed by the Ministry of Culture and Equality and the Nordic Council of Ministers (NOK 1,116,908).
Most Translated Authors (based on NORLA grants in 2024, all genres)
Jon Fosse, 2023 Nobel Prize laureate in literature, tops the list with 45 translations, solidifying his status as one of Norway’s most sought-after authors globally.
Karl Ove Knausgård follows with 8 translations, maintaining a strong international presence.
In crime and thriller fiction, Jørn Lier Horst stands out with 17 translations, including two children’s/YA books. Six adult titles were co-authored with Thomas Enger and Jan-Erik Fjell.
Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Maria Parr leads with 14 translations.
Bjørn F. Rørvik follows closely with 10 translations.
Lars Mæhle, illustrator Lars Rudebjer, and Malin Falch share third place with 6 translations each.
Non-fiction
Lars Fr. H. Svendsen, philosopher and author, leads with 6 translations.
Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson follows with 5 translations.
Anna Fiske, within children’s nonfiction, had 4 translations.
🔗 Read more about NORLA’s translation grants here
Distribution by Authorship
The 529 grants covered 250 unique authorships, the same number as in 2023, though that year saw 546 grants.
Top 10 Target Languages for Translations in 2024
German – 59
Danish – 47
Swedish – 35
Dutch – 28
Serbian – 24
Italian – 21
French, Hungarian, English – 20 each
Polish – 19
Children’s and YA Translation Grants by Language (2024)
Once again, the figures show the broad international reach of Norwegian children’s and YA literature. In 2024, the most grants went to:
German – 16
Swedish – 13
Danish – 11
French – 10
Ukrainian, Hungarian, Estonian – 8 each
Italian – 7
Czech – 6
This is a promising outlook ahead of Norway’s role as Guest of Honour at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 2026.
Read more
See details of NORLA’s allocated translation subsidy in 2024 in the list below.
