Overview of the 2024 Literary Prizes and Winners
In 2024, the Mediterranean Foundation received over 3,000 submissions for its literary prizes. The Second Novel Prize of the Fundación Mediterráneo attracted more than 1,000 novels, continuing the momentum from its inaugural year, while the Gabriel Miró Short Story Contest drew upwards of 1,900 entries. Both awards welcome writers from around the world who write in Spanish, with a total prize pool of 24,000 euros distributed among the best works.
In its second edition, the Novel Prize drew 1,056 original manuscripts from 35 countries, compared with 1,027 from 34 countries the previous year. Notable participation came from Argentina with more than 180 entries and Colombia with around 70. The prize offers 20,000 euros to the winning work, which will be published by Pre-Textos in an initial print run of at least 800 copies.
The winning novels are scheduled to be announced late in 2024. The jurors include writers and cultural figures with established careers. The panel for the Novel Prize includes Francisco Florit as president, with Vicente Molina Foix, Manuel Borras, Soledad Puértolas, and Clara Sánchez also serving, the latter two being members of the Royal Academy.
The president of the Mediterranean Foundation, Luis Boyer, commented that the response from writers worldwide is a source of great pride. He noted the high level of participation and the diversity of submitted works, emphasizing that the prizes celebrate creativity and literary talent while also fostering cross-cultural exchange and the spread of Spanish-language literature.
Gabriel Miró Short Story Prize
Meanwhile, the 62nd Gabriel Miró Short Story Prize has seen 1,980 submissions from 33 countries, with the top awards offering 3,000 euros for the first prize and 1,000 euros for the second prize. The judges for this prize include a panel of distinguished critics and authors, and the verdict is expected to be announced during September 2024.
Besides Spain, the countries contributing the most entries include Argentina with 384 stories, followed by Colombia (111), Mexico (58), Venezuela (48), and Cuba (39). The Gabriel Miró Contest has a long history of recognizing both emerging writers and established names in Spanish literature, dating back to its early years.
The Gabriel Miró prize, with 62 editions, stands as one of Spain’s oldest literary contests. Together with the Fundación Mediterráneo Novel Prize, these awards aim to encourage cultural life and, especially, fiction in the Spanish language. Over time, participation has risen and become more international, reflecting growing interest from authors worldwide.
Comprehensive information about these prizes is available on the competition’s official site. The organization continues to explore opportunities to launch the New Narrators Prize for writers under 35 and is considering annual rather than biennial editions for the Gabriel Miró short story award.