The Nit de la Cultura 2026 gala will take place on 12 December, where the 31 de Diciembre prizes will be awarded by l’Obra Cultural Balear to Dr Nicolau Dols, Dr Caterina Valriu, Joseop Amengual, and Biel Mesquida.
Dr Nicolau Dols i Salas, a professor in the Department of Catalan Philology and General Linguistics and president of the Philological Section of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans since 2021, will receive the Josep Maria Llompart Prize in recognition of his academic career and commitment to the study and normalisation of the Catalan language. Dols has made significant contributions to the fields of phonetics and phonology, particularly regarding the linguistic reality of Mallorca.
Dr Caterina Valriu, also a professor in the Department of Catalan Philology and General Linguistics, will be awarded the Bartomeu Oliver Prize for her extensive research and promotion of oral tradition and popular literature in the Balearic Islands. Her work has been instrumental in documenting and interpreting intangible heritage and studying children's and youth literature.
Biel Mesquida, a retired member of the technical and administrative staff at the Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), will receive the Joan Alcover Prize, which is being awarded for the first time to commemorate the centenary of the poet's death. Mesquida is regarded as one of the most innovative voices in contemporary Catalan literature, known for his formal experimentation and critical perspective on reality.
