The Gabinet de Promoció del Valencià, part of the Sagunto City Council, hosted the XXIX Ciutat de Sagunt literary awards ceremony on 23 October 2026 at the Centro Cultural Mario Monreal. The event celebrated works in Valencian, recognising the contributions of local authors.
This year’s winners included Jordi Casado Olivas for his play 349 metres, which explores the concept of home in an increasingly dislocated and hostile society. Casado, a graduate of Eòlia ESAD in Barcelona and the Rose Bruford College in London, was awarded in the XXIII Certamen de Teatro Pepe Alba.
Teresa Broseta Fandos received the award for the XXVIII Certamen de Narrativa Ciutat de Sagunt for her narrative Llevat de la memòria. With degrees in Education and Hispanic Philology, Broseta has been publishing literature for both adults and children since 2001, with notable works including La botiga del Carme and El flautista valent.
Josep Micó Conejero was honoured for his poetry collection Jardí de magranes, winning the XXIX Certamen Jaume Bru i Vidal. Micó, who has a background in Philosophy and Education, has contributed to various literary magazines and his work delves into homoeroticism through historical and artistic lenses.
Each award includes the publication of the winning works, with monetary prizes of €8,000 for narrative and €5,000 each for theatre and poetry. This year saw a record participation of 242 submissions across the three categories, with 58 entries for theatre, 79 for narrative, and 105 for poetry.
The judging panels comprised notable figures from the literary and performing arts community, including writers and poets such as Manel Joan Arinyó and Lola Andrés.
Patricia Sánchez, the councillor for the Gabinet de Promoció del Valencià, emphasised the importance of celebrating literature and the Valencian language, stating, “We defend culture not just with words but with actions and involvement.” She highlighted the need for ongoing support for the language, asserting that it must be actively written and read to thrive.
The awards aim to ensure that Valencian remains a vibrant medium for storytelling and expression, reinforcing its cultural significance in the region.
