The Culture Councilor of Alcoy, Elisa Guillem, announced the call for the 5th Isabel-Clara Simó Prize for a novel and the 50th Pep Cortés Prize for theatre. Applicants can submit their works electronically through the City Council’s online portal, with the submission window opening this week and closing on September 10. The process is designed to be accessible for writers across the region, reflecting Alcoy’s commitment to nurturing Valencian literature and drama.
The aim, according to Elisa Guillem, is to promote and support Valencian-language literature and to spotlight local artists and their creative output. Each prize carries a cash award of 8,000 euros, and Guillem emphasizes the high level of technical skill and professional judgment among the juries who will determine the winners. The final decision is expected to be announced before November 9.
Regarding eligibility and submission rules, works must be unpublished and must not have won any prize previously or be under active edition elsewhere. The theme is open, allowing authors to present a single, original work per applicant.
Additionally, writers who won either prize in the two most recent editions of the novel prize are not eligible to compete in the current year, and winners of the theatre prize in any of the last four editions are likewise ineligible. Full conditions are available in the prize regulations, which can be consulted on the City Council’s official website.