Born in Latvia, I’ve lived in the UK for more than 17 years now. Since graduating with a BA and an MA degree in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, I’ve honed my craft as a literary translator through workshops and mentorships, developing awareness on what makes a good translation, how to adapt the text and ‘translate’ various aspects of Latvian culture, and how literary translations fit in with the wider publishing industry.
EXPERIENCE
- 2022 – Translated marketing materials for NATO.
- 2021/22 – Took part in the National Centre for Writing Emerging Literay Translators programme, mentored by Kaija Straumanis, the Editorial Director of Open Letter Books.
- 2021 – My translation of the long story “Tetovētāja piektā stunda” (The Twenty-fifth Hour) by Alvils Bergs from his collection “Divi stāsti par Barsu” (Two Tales About Barca) was longlisted for British Comparative Literature Association John Dryden Translation Competition 2020/21.
- 2020 – Took part in the Theatre Translators Mentorship by Foreign Affairs, a theatre company based in East London. The mentorship culminated with a two-day digital showcase, where an extract of Ladies by Justīne Kļava was performed in a staged reading by the Foreign Affairs ensemble.
- 2019 – Participated in Translators’ Conference in Riga, organised and sponsored by the platform Latvian Literature.
- 2018 – Took part in the British Centre for Literary Translations Creative Writing and Literary Translations Summer School at the University of East Anglia. Participated in a Baltic translations workshop, led by Bill Swainson (previosly Senior Commissioning Editor at Bloomsbury)
- 2018 – Took part in the Latvian Poetry Workshop, organised by Modern Poetry in Translation.
- 2015 to 2019 – Translated press releases, book blurbs, worked on prose and poetry sample translations for the Latvian publishing house Pētergailis, whom I represented at the London Book Fair in 2018 and 2019.
THEATRE TRANSLATIONS SPECIALISM
My portfolio of theatre translations contains more than ten translations of plays and musicals by prominent Latvian playwrights.
I am currently looking for opportunities to stage the award-winning play “Dāmas” or Ladies by Justīne Kļava and the topical musical CABARET Siberia by Lauris Gundars, accompanied by original music composed by the Estonian composer Siim Aimla. For further information and to obtain the full translation please get in touch by emailing ieva.lakute@gmail.com
WORKS BY THE PLAYWRIGHT JUSTĪNE KĻAVA
- “Dāmas” (Ladies) – 2020
- “Dvēseļu Utenis” (Bazaar of Souls) – 2017
- Holy Night for the Beast – 2016
- “Gerač, mans brāli!” (H, Brother Mine!) – 2014
- “Brēmenes Muzikanti” (Town Musicians of Bremen) – 2012
WORKS BY THE PLAYWRIGHT, SCREENWRITER AND DIRECTOR LAURIS GUNDARS
- The musical “CABARET Siberia” (CABARET Siberia) – 2022
- “Asinsbalss” (The Bloodline) – 2019
- The musical “Dziedi!” (Sing!) – 2017
- “Meimena” (Maymana) – 2016
- “Latviešu Kāzas” (The Latvian Wedding) – 2014
WORKS BY THE ACTRESS AND PLAYWRIGHT ANCE MUIŽNIECE
“Justīnes Istaba” (Justine’s Room) – 2019
Ieva Lakute 