Books

Directory of Translators

Grants Awarded

Grants

Discover

About the Foundation

Catalogues

Contact

Discover our fiction titles

Fiction

The best non-fiction from the Netherlands

Non-fiction

Recently published Children's Books

Children's Books

Browse through our selections

A complete list of titles in our database

All Books

Books & Authors

Find an accredited literary translator in your language

Searchable bibliography of translations from the Dutch

Translation Database

How to get accredited as a literary translator

Sign Up as a Translator

Translators

All possibilities for financial support

An overview of recently awarded translation grants

Our current residencies for international writers and translators

Residencies

Mission statement and general info

Frequently Asked Questions

Meet the team

Departments and staff

Latest news

What's happening

Get in touch

Our activities and projects

Programs

Discover who we are and what we do

About Us

Göteborg 2027

Asset

Assets

The Dutch Foundation for Literature has the task of supporting writers and translators, and of promoting Dutch literature abroad. The foundation invests in the quality and diversity of literature through grants for writers, translators, publishers and festivals, and contributes to the production and distribution of Dutch and Frisian literature at home and abroad.

Who we are

Lynthia Julius (Springbok, 1993) is a poet from South Africa who writes in Gariep-Afrikaans. Born in Springbok and raised in Kimberley, she studied Philosophy and Creative Writing at the University of the Free State. Her acclaimed debut poetry collection, Uit die kroes (2020), explores themes of memory, family history, race, gender and belonging. The collection is also noted for its evocation of the Northern Cape landscape and its enriching use of Nama words within Afrikaans poetic expression. It received the First-time Published Author Award at the South African Literary Awards in 2021. Her second collection, Kinderlê (2024), further established her reputation as a poet deeply engaged with history, community and cultural memory. In the same year, she was awarded the Jan Rabie and Marjorie Wallace Bursary for a creative writing project in Afrikaans. During her residency in Amsterdam, Julius will work on a novel inspired by the history of South Africa’s Northern Cape and the linguistic heritage of Gariep-Afrikaans. At the same time, she is experiencing what it means to be far from home, away from the familiar land and surroundings – an experience that closely echoes the emotional world of the novel’s main character.

News

Topicals

From June 8 to June 30, 2026, South African poet Lynthia Julius will be staying as writer in residence in Amsterdam, upon invitation by the Dutch Foundation for Literature and Poetry International, where she has performed during the annual poetry festival.

Lynthia Julius new Writer in Residence in Amsterdam

Georgi Gospodinov (1968) is a Bulgarian writer, poet and playwright. He is the author of the International Booker Prize winning novel Time Shelter, which has been published in over 35 languages. Gospodinov gained international recognition with his previous novels, including Natural Novel and The Physics of Sorrow (Jan Michalski Prize, 2016 &amp; Angelus Award, 2019). Gospodinov’s complex narratives are engaged with the topic of memory, empathy and current anxieties within Europe and the world.  His latest book, Death and the Gardener, has been widely translated and reviewed across Europe. It has topped Book-of-the-year charts in Spain, Germany, Poland and Turkey, receiving critical acclaim, with Nobel Prize-winner and former resident Olga Tokarczuk saying: “This crystal clear prose fills me with great admiration”. During his residency, Gospodinov will draft the beginning of a new novel, as well as promote the Dutch translation (De dood en de tuinman, door Hellen Kooijman) of his new novel, which was published in March by publishing house Ambo Anthos.

<ul><li>Tuesday, April 21st – 8.00 pm: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://debalie.nl/programma/georgi-gospodinov-the-weaponization-of-nostalgia-2-21-04-2026/">Georgi Gospodinov: the Weaponization of Nostalgia</a>, De Balie, Amsterdam </li></ul><ul><li>Thursday, May 7th –8.00 pm: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.uva.nl/en/shared-content/faculteiten/en/faculteit-der-geesteswetenschappen/events/2026/05/state-of-european-literature.html">Georgi Gospodinov: The State of European Literature 2026</a>, UvA University Library, Amsterdam  </li></ul>

Events

Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov will be staying as writer in residence in Amsterdam from April 16th until May 17th, upon invitation by the Dutch Foundation for Literature.

Georgi Gospodinov new writer in residence in Amsterdam

The Curaçaoan author Roland Colastica will stay in the Amsterdam Writers’ Residency from 11 March to 8 April, at the invitation of the Dutch Foundation for Literature. Roland Colastica (Curaçao, 1960) is a writer, playwright, teacher and actor. He made his debut in the 1990s and has published several collections of stories and poems in Papiamentu, including Rueda di fe and Djis kant’i Bo (Heel dicht naast mij). He is also the author of several children’s books and has performed at book and theatre festivals worldwide. His monologue Ninga bon (Denial) has been staged successfully on many occasions and in six languages. Another of his one-man shows is Fo’i bo kuenta, a tragicomic blend of stories, poems, sketches, music and songs. Colastica has participated in international literature festivals such as Winternachten and Krusa Laman in The Hague, Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, as well as the Feria del Libro in Colombia, the Festival Iberoamericano de Cuentacuentos in Venezuela and the IDEA Conference in Hong Kong. In 2006 he received Curaçao’s highest cultural honour, the Cola Debrot Prize, for his work in theatre and playwriting. His Dutch-language YA novel Vuurwerk in mijn hoofd (Fireworks in My Head) was published in 2012, written under the guidance of his friend and fellow author Sjoerd Kuyper. During his residency in Amsterdam, supported by the Dutch Foundation for Literature, Colastica will work on a new novel for adult readers in Dutch, with guidance from writer Nelleke Noordervliet.

1 April 2026, 8 PM at Theater De Vaillant, The Hague  Performance: Verlangen (in Dutch), tickets via <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://devaillant.nl/agenda/solovoorstelling-verlangen-door-roland-colastic-111637890?2154">the website</a>

Roland Colastica will reside in the writers’ residency in Amsterdam from February 2nd to March 6th, at the invitation of the Dutch Foundation for Literature.

Roland Colastica as writer in residence in Amsterdam

For almost forty years, Erdorf devoted his life to translation. “Translation is my life,” he once said, “I&#039;ve always had somewhat fragile health, and so I can hardly believe what a body of work I&#039;ve accumulated—I&#039;m actually incredibly grateful to life”. Since 1991, he worked as a full-time translator and built up an impressive oeuvre, comprising more than two hundred children’s books, alongside translations of fiction, non-fiction and graphic novels.Thanks to Erdorf, countless Dutch-language authors found their way to a German-speaking audience. Among others, he translated works by Ted van Lieshout, Jan de Leeuw, Gideon Samson, Sjoerd Kuyper, Marita de Sterck, Leo Timmers, Erna Sassen, Floortje Zwigtman, Dolf Verroen and Edward van de Vendel. His translations were praised for their precision, musicality and ability to preserve the author’s original voice.His work did not go unnoticed. In 2005, he received the Dutch Martinus Nijhoff Prijs for his entire oeuvre. He was also awarded the German Youth Literature Prize for his translations on several occasions, including in 2006 and 2016. More recently, in 2024, his entire body of work was honoured with the German Youth Literature Prize for Lifetime Achievement — an accolade that underscored his exceptional contribution to literature.Erdorf was a regular visitor to the <a href="https://www.letterenfonds.nl/en/discover/amsterdam-translators-house">Vertalershuis in Amsterdam</a>, where he worked on translations of works by Robbert Welagen and Tonke Dragt, among others. This place offered him the peace and inspiration that are so characteristic of his work.Alongside his prolific output and numerous awards, Erdorf always remained a passionate reader. He campaigned for forgotten books to be made available again — a sign of his enduring commitment to literature, even beyond his own work.With the passing of Rolf Erdorf, we have lost a translator who opened up whole worlds to new generations of readers. His legacy lives on in the many books that have been given a new lease of life thanks to him.

On March 22, 2026, Rolf Erdorf, one of the most important bridge-builders between Dutch and German-language children’s literature, passed away. With his passing, the literary world has lost an enthusiastic translator, a dedicated professional, and a tireless advocate for children’s books.

In Memoriam – Rolf Erdorf (1956–2026)

Call to Action

CTA's

We are currently working on a new Translation Database. For now, our current database still remains available.

Subscribe to our newsletter and don’t miss any updates!

Subscription newsletter

Homepage

Pages

Discover our spring selection of Dutch Children's Books. This selection is made with the help of children’s book critics and booksellers and brings you the most striking titles.

Dutch Children's Books - Spring 2026

We are delighted to share our selection of the most striking new fiction titles from the Netherlands, books that have been included for their artistic and commercial success.

New Dutch Fiction - Spring 2026

We are very happy to present our new non-fiction titles. Most titles have been published recently and have done very well in terms of reviews, sales, awards or nominations.

Dutch Non-Fiction - Spring 2026

‘The Remembered Soldier’ by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKay, has been mentioned as one of the most notable books of 2025 by the New York Times Book Review.