Legally established world publishing houses that wish to translate and publish Colombian works may apply for an incentive of COP 20,000,000. A total of 15 incentives will be awarded, and the call will close on October 31, 2025.
Bogotá, September 15, 2025 (@minculturas). Reading Colombia is a co-financing program that supports the translation of Colombian literary works into other languages, with the goal of promoting their publication and international circulation. In this seventh edition, the call invites international publishers to apply for incentives to translate and publish works by Colombian authors.
The program supports the promotion, translation, and publication of Colombian literature, contributing to the construction of new narratives about the country, its people, and its territories. It also strengthens the independent publishing sector, fostering its sustainability and diversity as a vital part of the cultural and creative economy.
A Trajectory Across Borders
Since its creation in 2018, Reading Colombia has financed 85 translations of Colombian works in 20 different countries and languages. The countries with the highest number of translations include Egypt, Brazil, Italy, and Denmark.
Among the most notable works are Volver la vista atrás by Juan Gabriel Vásquez, widely recognized in Europe and the United States, and La vorágine by José Eustasio Rivera, one of the best-selling titles in its international editions.
The record of supported translations is as follows: 2018: 11; 2019: 10; 2021: 15; 2022: 12; 2023: 15; 2024: 22. This trajectory demonstrates the growing impact of the program on the international projection of Colombian literature.
Call for Applications 2025
In this edition, open until October 31, 2025, foreign publishers that have acquired translation and publication rights for Colombian works of fiction and non-fiction (short story, novel, journalism, biography, history, essay, correspondence) may apply. Fifteen incentives of COP 20,000,000 each will be awarded.
Conditions for Participation
Works must be authored by Colombian writers and originally published by Colombian publishing houses.
The foreign publisher must submit a contract of rights transfer, signed by both parties, for publication in another language and territory.
Each foreign publisher may propose up to two titles and may only receive one co-financing incentive.
A single title may receive up to two incentives if submitted by different foreign publishers.
Beneficiary publishers must deliver four copies of the published work to the Ministry and two copies to the Embassy of Colombia in their country.
Who May Apply?
Foreign for-profit publishers, legally established, that hold signed contracts for the publication of Colombian works in other languages and territories. (Colombian publishers, authors, or agents holding the rights to Colombian titles may act on behalf of foreign publishers, but the administrative procedures for the allocation of funds will be carried out with the foreign publishers directly.)
Requirements for Accessing the Incentive
Foreign for-profit publishers must submit the following documents:
A signed contract of copyright transfer for the Colombian title submitted.
Curriculum vitae of the translator.
A work schedule for the publication of the work, with a commitment to publish no later than 18 months after the incentive is awarded.
A promotion and distribution plan for the translated and published Colombian work.
Winning publishers must include in the publication the Reading Colombia logo and the text: “This work was published with the support of the Reading Colombia program, co-financing for translation and publication.”
Evaluation and Allocation of Incentives
The Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge, the National Library of Colombia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will form an evaluation and selection committee. This committee will include members of the Directorate of Strategy, Development and Entrepreneurship, the National Library of Colombia and its Book, Literature and Reading Group, and the Cultural Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The committee will meet bimonthly to review applications and award incentives based on the following criteria:
Evaluation Criteria
The book must be written and/or illustrated by Colombian author(s).
The book must have been previously published by a Colombian publishing house.
The work must not be in the public domain (according to Law 1915 of 2018, amending Law 23 of 1982: copyright lasts for the lifetime of the author and for eighty years after their dea th).
Submission of a signed contract of rights transfer guaranteeing the license to publish the work in the target language.
The committee will also assess the relevance of the proposed publication.
Applications meeting the above requirements will obtain 20 points out of a total of 50 in the overall evaluation.
Additional points (not cumulative) will be awarded as follows:
10 additional points will be awarded to projects involving works authored by women, LGBTQ+ authors, or Afro-Colombian, Raizal, Palenquero, or Indigenous authors, reflecting the country’s ethnic and cultural diversity.
10 additional points will be awarded to projects involving works originally published by Colombian independent publishers.
10 additional points will be awarded to applications from languages or territories not previously selected in earlier editions of the program.
Applications will be evaluated in the order they are received, subject to verification of eligibility.
Announcements will be made via the official websites and social media of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge, the National Library of Colombia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when all incentives have been awarded.
The call will remain open until October 31, 2025, or until all incentives have been granted, in accordance with the established selection criteria.
