22 December 2025
Lisanne van Aert wins Translation Prize 2025 with theatre text Ocean Breeze
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Theatre writer Lisanne van Aert has won the Translation Prize 2025 for her text Ocean Breeze. The jury selected the winning text from nine nominees. The winning text will be presented to a professional audience in the form of a staged reading during the Dramatiker:innenfestival in May 2026 in Graz, Austria.
Theatre writer Lisanne van Aert has won the Translation Prize 2025 for her text Ocean Breeze. The jury selected the winning text from nine nominees. The winning text will be presented to a professional audience in the form of a staged reading during the Dramatiker:innenfestival in May 2026 in Graz, Austria.
Ocean Breeze by Lisanne van Aert
Ocean Breeze is a hallucinatory journey through the side effects of living with chronic illness: fear, loneliness and self-criticism. It is a plea for gentleness and for caring for one another.
The Translation Prize is closely linked to the Toneelschrijfprijs. From the 97 submissions for the 2025 edition, the jury selected nine texts that were eligible for the Translation Prize. A new jury then took over, specialising in the German theatre text landscape. This year’s Translation Prize jury consisted of Maaike van Langen, Katja Herlemann and Christine Bais. They recognised Ocean Breeze as a text with international appeal and the potential to be included in the German theatre circuit.
The Translation Prize is closely linked to the Toneelschrijfprijs. From the 97 submissions for the 2025 edition, the jury selected nine texts that were eligible for the Translation Prize. A new jury then took over, specialising in the German theatre text landscape. This year’s Translation Prize jury consisted of Maaike van Langen, Katja Herlemann and Christine Bais. They recognised Ocean Breeze as a text with international appeal and the potential to be included in the German theatre circuit.
About the Translation Prize
The Translation Prize aims to stimulate the international visibility of Dutch-language theatre texts. It is closely connected to the Toneelschrijfprijs: the nominees for the Translation Prize are selected from the submissions for the Toneelschrijfprijs and are put forward by the jury based on their potential to connect with another language and theatre culture. These are theatre texts with international potential, which may be taken up by the German theatre circuit. The winning text is translated into German and receives a professional staged reading at the Dramatiker:innenfestival in Graz, Austria. The translation of POPpulisme by Eva Gouda, winner of the Translation Prize 2024, will also be presented at the next edition of the festival.
The Translation Prize is an initiative of Literatuur Vlaanderen and Fonds Podiumkunsten, who take turns organising the prize each year. For the Translation Prize 2025, Literatuur Vlaanderen was responsible for the organisation.
The Translation Prize is an initiative of Literatuur Vlaanderen and Fonds Podiumkunsten, who take turns organising the prize each year. For the Translation Prize 2025, Literatuur Vlaanderen was responsible for the organisation.