Spotlight: British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters
“I wish that you could have an hour beforehand, so myself and the interpreter could sit down, go through whatever the talk is, make sure the translation is spot on to what I actually want to say, so actually having prep time with the interpreter is really, really important, and the problem is there’s rarely money to cover that prep time, but that would be fantastic.”
Check with the author what BSL interpreters they prefer to work with as many marginalised writers prefer to work with interpreters they have shared identities with.
Ensure that you have budgeted to pay BSL interpreters according to minimum union rates
Always give interpreters materials from writers in advance such as any readings, and budget for extra prep time for translating specialised language. Pay for the interpreter(s) to have an advance meeting with the author so they can discuss the topic and any potential unfamiliar language that may come up
Whether in-person, online, or hybrid, make sure you have an adequate set-up e.g. number of interpreters needed for the event, check where they’re positioned for authors or the audience and, if lighting is adequate so the interpreter is well-lit, etc.
It can depend on the nature of the event, but longer events and those where many deaf people are attending may require multiple interpreters. This enables interpreters to have breaks and ensure access for deaf people during their breaks.
Whether in-person, online, or hybrid, make sure you have an adequate set-up, e.g. interpreters must be well-lit, and visible both to the audience and the deaf BSL-user(s) onstage. Some live set-ups with deaf authors might require interpreters in two different locations, for example one onstage for the audience and one in the front row for the deaf author(s) to see from the stage without having to turn around or crane their neck. Check how they appear on screen if online
For international literary events, including online, with deaf and/or disabled people from multiple nationalities, there might need to be sign language interpreters who use sign language for different nationalities.
Reference: Bea Webster, Jamie Hale, Sandra Allan, Khairani Barokka
“One event was three hours long, and I told them they’ll need two, perhaps three interpreters. They agreed, but when I got there, they’d only booked one interpreter and they were unable to do the job on their own. There were four deaf people and we had to pull out in front of everybody. I think people thought it was our fault, and you just think about the effects on our reputation because they had not booked interpreters. That was their duty.”