Here’s What’s New:

• Introducing: Directory of Slovenian Publishers
• 15th Seminar for Translators from Slovenian
• 10 Books from Slovenia 2025
• Slovenian Book Agency Joins EURead
• Coming Up: Frankfurt & Vienna Book Fairs
• Lavrin Diploma for Promotion of Slovenian literature
• Spotlight on Literary Awards

Introducing: Directory of Slovenian Publishers

We are excited to announce a new feature on our international website — the Directory of Slovenian Publishers. This comprehensive resource provides detailed information about publishing houses across Slovenia and neighbouring Austria and Italy. Designed to support international cooperation and facilitate connections, the directory is a valuable tool for editors, translators, literary agents, and publishers seeking to learn more about Slovenian publishing and literature. Visit our website to explore the directory and discover more about the dynamic Slovenian publishing landscape.

15th Seminar for Translators from Slovenian

We’re pleased to announce the participants of this year’s translation seminar, organised by the Book Agency in cooperation with the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators. The seminar will take place from 18 to 22 August 2025 in Ljubljana and Maribor. For the fifteenth year running, it will offer a focused introduction to contemporary Slovenian literature and provide opportunities to connect with authors, critics, publishers, lecturers, and other professionals working in the field of books and translation.

This year’s participants are Petra Amalia Bachmann (Croatia), Miloš Biedrzycki (Poland), Barbora Almáši (Slovakia), Marieke Haenebalcke (Belgium), David Heredero Zorzo (Spain), Jelena Ivanišević (Serbia), Petra Janků (Czechia), Aleš Kozár (Czechia), Sergiu Lozinschi (Romania), Dimana Miteva (Bulgaria), Mathias Rambaud (France), and Yuliia Stankevych (Ukraine).

During the seminar, the translators will work on three books:

• Selma Skenderović’s In če vsi pozabijo / And If Everyone Forgets (Cankarjeva založba, 2024), a novel about memory, identity, and generational silence that sheds light on the challenges of assimilation and cultural prejudice;
• Manca G. Renko’s Živalsko mesto / Animal City (No!Press, 2024), a thought-provoking collection of essays exploring popular culture, history, and identity with sharp social commentary and personal insight; and
• Boris Kolar’s O vinu, kozah in drugih prevarah / Of Wine, Goats, and Other Deceptions (Goga, 2023), a richly detailed and witty historical novel blending meticulous research with imaginative storytelling.

10 Books from Slovenia 2025

The highly anticipated 10 Books from Slovenia 2025 has now officially been published. Released annually by the Center for Slovenian Literature, this selection and journal presents ten outstanding literary works published over the past year, chosen by a panel of 20 leading literary critics. This year’s edition features works by Anja Zag Golob, Kazimir Kolar, Nataša Kramberger, Vesna Liponik, Pino Pograjc, Manca G. Renko, Andraž Rožman, Ana Schnabl, Denis Škofič, and Liu Zakrajšek.

Discover the latest edition and read English excerpts from all featured titles.

Selections from previous years are available here.

Slovenian Book Agency Joins EURead

The Slovenian Book Agency has become a member of EURead, a network of European organisations dedicated to the development of reading culture. Founded in 2000, EURead unites organisations that believe reading is a fundamental skill that enables critical thinking and active participation in society. The network, which currently comprises 38 members from 27 countries, runs projects, conferences, and workshops to enhance cooperation among reading promotion organisations.

Joining EURead will allow the Slovenian Book Agency to collaborate more closely with European partners, exchange proven approaches, and develop innovative programmes to strengthen reading culture in Slovenia.

Coming Up: Frankfurt & Vienna Book Fairs

We’re busy putting the finishing touches on our programmes featuring Slovenian authors at the Frankfurt and Vienna Book Fairs. In Frankfurt, you’ll find us once again in Hall 4.1. This year in Vienna, we’re pleased to be joining forces with Traduki — of which we have been proud members since our very beginning — and exhibiting alongside them for the first time.

We would be delighted to meet with you at either fair. To arrange a meeting, please get in touch with Katja Urbanija at katja.urbanija@jakrs.si or Petra Kavčič at petra.kavcic@jakrs.si.

While we prepare for the autumn book fairs, please read the report about Slovenian publishers and creators at this spring’s Bologna Children's Book Fair, prepared by Motovila, Centre for the Promotion of Cooperation in the Cultural and Creative Sectors.

Lavrin Diploma for Promotion of Slovenian literature

The Slovenian Association of Literary Translators (DSKP) has honoured Croatian translator Anita Peti-Stantić with the 2025 Lavrin Diploma for her exceptional work translating over 70 Slovenian books into Croatian. Her dedication has been instrumental in promoting Slovenian literature in Croatia across various genres, including fiction, children’s literature, and the humanities. Beyond her translation achievements, Peti-Stantić is widely recognized as a scholar, mentor, and advocate who has played a key role in ensuring major Croatian publishers regularly feature Slovenian authors.

Explore a selection of her translations in our translation database.

The Lavrin Diploma is an annual award presented by DSKP in recognition of exceptional achievements in translation and commitment to championing Slovenian literature beyond its borders. Established in 2003, the award is named after Janko Lavrin (1887–1986), a distinguished translator, literary historian, and essayist. Past recipients of the award can be found here.

Spotlight on Literary Awards

Spring and early summer are the seasons of literary awards in Slovenia.

The Slovenian Literary Critics’ Association presented the 14th Kritiško sito Award for best book of the year. This year, the award went to the short story collection Steklene stene by Ana Svetel (Beletrina). Other nominees included the novel Onečejevalec by Kazimir Kolar (Goga), the essay collection Po vsej sili živ by Nataša Kramberger (Goga), the essay collection Živalsko mesto by Manca G. Renko (No!Press), the poetry collection Žalostinke za okroglo Zemljo by Peter Semolič (LUD Literatura), and the novel September by Ana Schnabl (Beletrina).

Poet Barbara Korun has been named the recipient of this year’s Cankar Award for best original literary work, for her poetry collection Vnazaj (Založba Pivec). The jury selected the winner from a shortlist that also included two novels — Lističi by Milan Dekleva and Kurja fizika by Feri Lainšček — and two collections of essays — Po vsej sili živ by Nataša Kramberger and Vse luči by Muanis Sinanović. The Cankar Award recognises works in any of the literary forms cultivated by Ivan Cankar — a giant of Slovenian literature — including poetry, novels, drama, short fiction, and essays.

Andrej E. Skubic has been awarded the Desetnica Award for his novel Lahko bi umrl na tem kavču z mano, published by Mladinska knjiga. The prize, presented by the Slovene Writers’ Association, recognises the best work of children’s and young adult fiction, celebrating outstanding works that reflect the richness and relevance of literature for younger readers

And finally, we are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Kresnik Award for best novel of the year – one of Slovenia’s most prestigious literary honours, traditionally presented on Midsummer’s Eve. From the longlist of ten novels, revealed on World Book Day, the jury selected a shortlist of five. These five outstanding works still remain in contention for the coveted prize: Onečejevalec by Kazimir Kolar (Goga), Kurja fizika by Feri Lainšček (Beletrina), Ćrtice by Tina Perić (Goga), Prst v prekatu by Anja Radaljac, and September by Ana Schnabl (Beletrina).