About
Mission
The Center for the Art of Translation (CAT) is a San Francisco–based nonprofit that champions literary translation and the translators who bring underrepresented global writers to English-language readers. CAT builds a vibrant cross-cultural community through its award-winning publisher Two Lines Press, dynamic events that connect readers and translators, and the educational program Poetry Inside Out, which brings poetry translation into classrooms.
History
In 1993, Italian translator Olivia Sears co-founded Two Lines: World Writing in Translation, a literary journal with a mission to make international literature accessible to English readers while celebrating the translators who make it possible. The journal created a home for world literature and a forum where literary translators could discuss their craft and receive the credit they deserved.
Building on this foundation, the Center for the Art of Translation (CAT) was formally established as a San Francisco–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2000 to expand its programming and deepen its impact in the literary community. That same year, Poetry Inside Out launched as CAT’s translation-based education program for grades 3–12, introducing translation to a new generation of readers and writers eager to engage with the world across cultural and geographic borders.
In 2006, CAT established its event series as San Francisco’s only literary programming dedicated to international literature and translation broadly defined. The Center’s public programs range from translator workshops and book launches to the annual Day of Translation symposium and immersive multimedia experiences. Events are presented in the Bay Area and with partner venues across the US. Over the past two decades, more than 10,000 people have gathered at CAT’s public programs to hear global writers, artists, and translators share conversations about literature, language, and culture.
In 2013, the Center launched Two Lines Press, an award-winning book publisher that releases 8–12 literary translation titles each year with distribution throughout North America and the UK. The press champions exceptional international writers and literary translators with a commitment to diversity in the languages, translators, and authors it publishes. In 2020, Two Lines Press launched the Calico series. Published biannually, each Calico title features a curated collection of translated works exploring particular themes, regions, languages, historical moments, or literary styles.
For over 25 years, the Center for the Art of Translation has celebrated the richness of world literature and created space for rarely heard voices. From the start, the organization has envisioned translation as both a literary practice and a bold cultural act—one that creates visibility and builds understanding across languages. With work spanning publishing, education, and public programming, CAT plays a unique role in the literary community, championing literature in translation as a vital force for connection, empathy, and cultural exchange.
Our Programs
Events
CAT’s public programs offer dynamic, multilingual experiences with literature in translation and international writers through intimate gatherings and large-scale events in the Bay Area and beyond. CAT programs events with nearly 100 writers and translators each year to discuss the ideas that animate their work. Through collaborations with partners ranging from beloved local indie bookstores to prominent cultural venues, CAT celebrates translators, builds audiences for literature in translation, and creates community through meaningful conversation. CAT is also committed to providing fair financial compensation to the translators, writers, and artists it presents.
Learn more about our upcoming events, watch previously recorded conversations, or submit a program idea of your own on our Events page.
Two Lines Press
Two Lines Press publishes bold, original literature in translation, with a focus on exceptional new writing and overlooked classics not previously available in English. Its titles have earned wide recognition, winning or being shortlisted for every major book award that recognizes translated literature. The press also publishes the Calico series, a biannual curated collection of translated works that explore particular themes, regions, languages, historical moments, or literary styles. Two Lines Press and its Calico series prioritize voices and languages that have been historically underrepresented and recognize the work of literary translators through equitable pay, credit, and advocacy.
Learn more about our book publishing program on the Two Lines Press page.
Poetry Inside Out
Poetry Inside Out, CAT’s education program, engages educators and students in translating poems from more than 25 languages. Poetry Inside Out’s curriculum encourages close reading, cross-cultural appreciation, and active discussion about words and their meaning. Using resources and lesson plans created by experienced educators specifically for the program, students step into the role of poetry translators to develop interpretation and writing skills that help them engage with cultural differences and learn to see themselves as global citizens. CAT offers multiple online and in-person educator workshops annually and runs a Poetry Inside Out Teacher Fellowship—a facilitated program that supports U.S. educators interested in expanding their teaching practice through poetry translation and inquiry-based learning.
Learn more about the program on our Education page.
