At a public event held in the Bidebarrieta Library of Bilbao, the Basque Government has announced the first awards for this year's Euskadi Literature Prizes. The event was chaired by the First Vice-Lehendakari and Minister of Culture and Language Policy, Ibone Bengoetxea, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Andoni Iturbe, and by the distinguished creators.
In this batch the recognitions have been announced in Literature in Basque, Children's and Young Adult Literature in Basque e Illustration of Literary WorkThe awards go to Unai Elorriaga by Francesco Pasqualeren bosgarren arima (Susa), Karmele Mitxelena by Aitona Floren (Elkar) and Maite Rosende by lock (Denonartean), while the other four modalities will be announced next week.
Official announcement and award-winning works
During the presentation, Bengoetxea emphasized the social function of culture and defended reading in Basque as a bridge between generations, an idea that the jury valued by awarding prizes to three proposals. diverse, demanding and with a great creative pulseIn parallel, the authors shared their impressions on the themes that permeate their works.
- Literature in Basque: Unai Elorriaga, Francesco Pasqualeren bosgarren arima (Susa).
- Children's and Young Adult Literature in Basque: Karmele Mitxelena, Aitona Floren (Elkar).
- Illustration of Literary Work: Maite Rosende, lock (Denonartean).
The jury has highlighted the formal and thematic ambition Of the three winners: a narrative that travels from southern Italy to the Basque Country and demands active reading; an intimate story about loss told in the direct voice of a child; and a picture book with a personal touch that combines lively rhythms and serene scenes through a very recognizable palette.
Jury motivation and author profiles
En Francesco Pasqualeren bosgarren arima, Elorriaga creates a narrative mosaic situated between the novel and the book of stories, where stories are linked in the style of a certain Central European tradition of the 20th centuryThe plot moves from southern Italy to the Basque Country, with migration as a common thread and a proposal that requires the reader to complete the fabric of ellipses and connectionsThe writer (Algorta, 1973), philologist and professor, is the author of titles such as SPrako tranbia, Van't Hoffen ilea, Vredaman, Londres kartoizkoa da, Iazko hezurrak e Iturria, and has also worked in Children's literature, theater, comics and translation.
The work of Mitxelena, Aitona Floren, faces death and mourning with naturalness and closeness, structured as a girl's complete monologue. With few characters and light strokes to characterize them, the piece creates an intimate space that invites reflection. The author (Oiartzun, 1988), a trained teacher, has been recognized in narrative and bertsolaritza, and published the illustrated album. Erakusleihoa after obtaining the Peru Abarka Award.
En lock, Rosende builds an album with a strong visual identity: in addition to the three basic colors, it incorporates black and purple to alternate intense compositions with calmer images, always with a clean and personal touch. Texts and illustrations are integrated with a clear expressionist accent and a vocation for all audiences. The creator (Donostia, 1991) divides her activity between books and other graphic media and is part of the creative studio Gilda.
Seven categories, staffing and next steps
The Department of Culture and Language Policy grants a total of seven Euskadi Literature Awards. Along with the three announced categories, the following still remain to be revealed: Literature in Spanish, Literary Translation into Basque, Essay in Basque and Essay in Spanish, whose publication is expected next week, with an institutional announcement planned for Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Each award-winning author will receive 18.000 Euros, with a complement of 4.000 Euros If the work is published in another language; the award for Literary Translation into Basque also has 18.000 EurosThe award ceremony is scheduled for November 26th at the San Telmo Museum from Donostia/San Sebastián, in an event that will bring together the creative teams, the jury and the cultural authorities.
With this first announcement, the edition confirms the vigor of Basque creation and the importance of illustrated books in the current panorama: three complementary perspectives —narratives that cross borders, young adult literature that accompanies grieving processes, and a graphic proposal with its own stamp—set the tone for awards that, once again, combine literary demands and public exposure.
