Elche is back on the literary map with the Ciutat d'Elx Literary Awards, an event that recognizes works in Valencian and that this year has proclaimed Josep Usó Mañanós y Mercé Estrela Tena as prominent voices in Narrative and Poetry, respectively.
Beyond the list of winners, the competition reaffirms its commitment to creation in Valencian and its desire to consolidate itself as a platform for emerging authors and already established trajectories, with an open view of the entire linguistic field.
Winners and award-winning works
The Narrative Award “Antoni Bru” has relapsed into Josep Usó Mañanós (Vila-real) for his novel The house on Sant Antoni street, while the Poetry Prize “Elx Festival” It has been for Mercé Estrela Tena (Massanassa) with the poetry collection Fang's Tongue.
The provisions are maintained at the 8.000 Euros for Narrative and 4.000 Euros for Poetry, in addition to the publication of the works in charge of Ediciones Bromera, which makes it easier for both titles to reach bookstores and libraries with the backing of a reference seal.
Jury and evaluation
The Narrative jury was composed of Carol Borràs Barberà, Sandra Montserrat Buendía and José Antonio Quesada, professionals with experience in editorial management, research and teaching, who provide a plural vision on trends and literary quality.
In Poetry, the court was formed by Josep Manuel Agulló i Pastor, Josep Martines Pérez and Francesc Pastor Verdú, profiles recognized for their academic and creative work, with special attention to formal innovation and the solidity of poetic language.
Both juries highlighted the high quality of the submitted manuscripts and the care in the use of language, key to the final selection of the winning works.
Date, time and place of delivery
The official ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 18 at 12:00 at the Las Clarisas Cultural Center of Elche, a regular space for literary events and presentations that brings together authors, readers and cultural agents.
Career of the award winners
Author of long standing, Josep Usó began publishing in 1998 with The Maleïda Catifa and, since then, he has been adding stories and novels recognized by different juries. His new award-winning work, The house on Sant Antoni street, is framed within that line of solid narrative with a personal perspective.
His awards include titles such as Bitter love (2001) Carme i Maria (2003) Civils i incivils (2004) Els retrobats i els perduts (2007) The long path (2008) or the 2011 Ciutat de Torrent narrative award with Fàtima and Cristina; a career that confirms the Vila-real author's consistency in the literary scene.
For its part, Mercé Estrela Tena, Massanassa, his poetry collection is recognized Fang's Tongue, a work that, according to the jury's assessment, brings a firm voice and its own imagery to the field of Valencian poetry.
History and relevance of the contest
Founded in 1984, the Ciutat d'Elx Awards have been running for more than four decades and have established themselves as reference in the Valencian Community, while maintaining their vocation to promote literature in Valencian.
Authors such as Màrius Serra, Melcior Comes, Vicent Escartí, Lliris Picó, Joaquim Espídos, Núria Cadenes o Joaquim Caturla, a list that reflects the impact of the competition on the projection of literary careers.
Participation and debate around the contest
Participation has varied in recent years: from more than a hundred works in 2022 to 19 works in 2025 (6 in Narrative and 13 in Poetry), going through 96 in 2023 and 14 in 2024, figures that reflect significant fluctuations in the interest of the authors in participating.
This recent decline has opened a dialogue about the lack of promotion and the need to strengthen dissemination, a debate in which various voices from the cultural sphere—and also the municipal opposition—are calling for intensified actions to recover the competition's popularity.
With this year's awards, Elche consolidates the visibility of letters in Valencian, recognizes the work of its authors and prepares an award ceremony that will focus on the winning works, their juries, and the work of an organization that keeps a cultural landmark of the region alive.
