From May 13–15, 2024, the Lit‑Quest Europe (LAP-CB) training program for emerging literary agents held a dynamic and content-rich residency workshop in Zagreb, hosted by Sandorf Publishing in cooperation with regional partners. The workshop brought together agents Janek Domonell, Chiara Stanzani, and Manca Masnik (Goga Publishing House), alongside program mentors and Croatian publishing professionals.
The Zagreb residency built on an earlier preparatory online meeting held in April, where the team laid the groundwork for key elements of the Lit‑Quest Europe project — including the development of a questionnaire for literary professionals, the toolkit for emerging agents, and a research-based proposal for a European Prize for Literary Agents.
Mapping, Databases & Toolkit Development
The workshop opened at Sandorf’s office in Trešnjevka, where participants focused on designing a system for mapping national publishing ecosystems. Agents will gather data in categories such as:
- Publishers active in translation
- Literary agents
- Book events and prizes
- Translation grants and residencies
This information will serve as the foundation for an online web platform under development as part of Lit‑Quest Europe. The agents will continue updating their national data sets throughout the year, with the next group expanding the research in fall 2024.
Work continued on the Lit‑Quest Agent Toolkit, a practical resource containing templates, recommendations, and how-to guides for emerging agents. Sandorf Publishing will lead the compilation of this toolkit, which will be made available to all participants and partners by the end of the project.
Literary Agents’ Role & Research-Based Initiatives
The team finalized key content for the questionnaire for literary professionals, which is aimed at collecting feedback from at least 78 industry stakeholders. Part of the responses will inform research into the creation of a European literary agent prize. Key areas under discussion include award criteria, nomination processes, and selection models.
Presentations, Meetings & Festival Involvement
The second part of the workshop, held at Cultural Center Trešnjevka, was dedicated to introducing the Croatian literary infrastructure. The team behind the platform CroatianLiterature.hr — Diana Matulić, Nenad Bartolčić, and Ivan Sršen — presented the site’s goals, data strategies, and role in increasing international visibility for Croatian authors. Participants explored how such initiatives can serve as models for similar efforts in other European countries.
On Tuesday, the agents visited the Ministry of Culture and Media and held in-depth meetings with program coordinators of translation grants and international promotion. Later that day, they met with Croatian publishers from across the industry, including Fraktura, Znanje, VBZ, Oceanmore, Durieux, and others.
In the afternoon, Zagreb Book Festival hosted the public panel “European Literary Agents and Small Literatures”, where the visiting agents shared insights into working across linguistic borders and how small literatures can position themselves globally. The panel was attended by a wide audience, marking the first time a public conversation on international literary agents was held at a Croatian literary festival.
Looking Ahead
The Zagreb workshop deepened connections between the current Lit‑Quest cohort and the regional publishing scene. It also brought real progress to the project’s long-term goals — building shared tools, research models, and networks that support the next generation of literary agents across Europe.
Next steps include:
- Finalizing the questionnaire by June
- Preparing book proposal case studies
- Continuing the mapping process through the summer and autumn
- Holding check-in sessions on toolkit development and platform planning
Lit‑Quest Europe is co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe program and coordinated in partnership by Goga Publishing House (Slovenia), Sandorf Publishing (Croatia), and Helsinki Literary Agency (Finland).