New Voices for Europe: An interview series by Literature Across Frontiers, Wales, UK.
New Voices for Europe is a podcast and interview series that has emerged from the Literary Europe Live Plus (LEUL+) project with which Literature Across Frontiers (LAF) continued forging links between European literary scenes and those of other regions, something they had done for fifteen years with collaborations in SWANA (South West Asian/ North African) region. This work mostly ceased as a result of the political turmoil that in turn created a vibrant artistic diaspora in Europe. LEUL+ aimed to highlight the contribution of writers and artists who had been forced to flee conflict zones and find a home in Europe, whether temporary or permanent. Interviewees were asked to tell about their journey, personal and creative, and how they continued working in their chosen discipline in an initially unfamiliar environment. What the interviews have in common is the speakers’ admirable tenacity and perseverance in the face of the obstacles and challenges they encountered along the way. Following up from a previous project entitled New Voices from Europe, which selected and promoted emerging European writers internationally, Literature Across Frontiers chose to call this collection of podcasts and interview-based articles New Voices for Europe.
LAF, the European Platform for Literary Exchange, Translation and Policy Debate, was established in 2001 with support from the then Culture Programme of the European Union. Their aim is to develop intercultural dialogue through literature and translation, and highlight less translated literatures.