Padrón Literature Prizes

Padrón Town Council organises several literature competitions and prizes throughout the year:

Theatrical interpretation award Maruxa Villanueva

The Villanueva Maruxa Award for theatrical interpretation began in 2001, in commemoration of Maruxa Villanueva, a singer early in her career, whom a few years later becomes a great theatre actress primarily in Argentina, where she spent several years of her youth. In the late 60´s she moved to Santiago de Compostela, and made contact with the Rosalia de Castro Foundation, whom she assists in getting funding for the restoration of Rosalia´s house now known as the Museo Rosalia de Castro (Rosalia de Castro Museum) She becomes a connoisseur of the life and work of this local Padron Author and therefore naturally becomes the person responsible to attend the House-Museum from its opening.

Maruxa Villanueva was able to achieve many distinctions in her lifetime, among some that we will highlight is the tribute received in her native village of Barrela in 1991, the same year that the Galician Government gives her the Castelao Medal. Already in 1993 she was named Honorary President of the Association for Galician Migrants Rights in Buenos Aires. She also receives the Maria Casares award for theater.

Therefore, after her death, Padron created a theatrical acting award in her name.

The award is given to those actors or actresses that participate in a Galician theatrical show during the current year, or for their proven track record by any given actor or actress in this area. The award has a monetary prize, with the delivery of a diploma and a bronze figure of the bust of Maruxa Vilanueva the actress.

The award is given by a jury appointed by resolution of the Honorable Mayor of Padrón town Council, which will consist of at least four persons qualified in Galician theater proposed by the Department of Culture of Padron´s town council and one appointed by each of the political groups of the Municipal Corporation.

Literary prize Camilo José Cela

The Camilo José Cela literary prize for narratives takes place as a perpetual tribute to the illustrious human figure and eminent literary writer, Nobel Prize for Literature winner in 1989 and a native of this land.

It has been held since 1990 with great success and participation both nationally and internationally as this important figure studied in various parts of the world.

The stories for the literary contest have to be 12-25 pages, and must be unpublished and original, written in both Galician and Castilian.

Being a Jury, appointed by resolution of the Honorable Mayor of Padrón town Council, which under the principles of openness, transparency, equality, non-discrimination and objectivity, will issue its ruling, making it public for the media.

There is € 1500 monetary prize and a statuette given of the writer Camilo José Cela for the work selected by the jury.

+ INFO: cultura@padron.gal

Rosalía de Castro poetry competition

The Rosalía de Castro poetry competition is organised in honour of the author, in collaboration with her House Museum in Padrón. It was first held in 2015 and is open to people of all nationalities that present unpublished Galician-language works, whichhave not won a prize in other competitions. The authors are free to choose both the subject and poetical style of their works. They must write at least 400 verses.

The panel of judges, which is chaired by the mayor or mayoress, is made up of the Councillor for Culture and five persons of renowned prestige from the world of poetry, Galician literature, media or culture. The prize consists of €1,500 and a diploma.

+ INFO: cultura@padron.gal