This literary contest, now in its tenth edition, aims to foster creativity in writing children's stories in the Catalan language, with no specific theme. It is open to participants of all ages, from 10 years old to adults, and the deadline for submitting original works is May 18.
Submitted stories must be unpublished and not have received previous awards. Each participant may submit only one work, with a maximum length of five DIN-A4 pages, using Arial 12 font and double spacing. Submissions are made electronically via an online form, and it is necessary to attach the story in PDF format with title, pseudonym, and category, as well as a digital copy of the identification document.
The competition is structured into five categories based on participants' age, ranging from Category A (10-11 years old) to Category E (18 years and older). For each category, the jury will award a winner and a finalist, with the possibility of declaring some awards void. Prizes include monetary awards, with a maximum of 2,200 euros for the adult category, bookshop vouchers, graphic tablets, and other cultural gifts. Educational centers in Alt Urgell that submit a minimum of 10 stories, or 5 for ZER schools, will receive a book package.
The jury for the Joles Sennell Award comprises prominent figures from the literary and educational fields, such as writer Pep Albanell, Sant Agustí Library director Lourdes Esteve, and RàdioSeu director Marta Pujantell, among others.
The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 13, at 12 noon at the Sant Agustí Library. Winning stories will be read on RàdioSeu's 'Niu de Contes' program. Additionally, the 'Il·lustrem' project continues, where ESO students from Joan Brudieu and La Valira institutes, and the Municipal School of Art, will illustrate the winning story. As a complementary activity, a children's story writing workshop led by writer Pol Castellanos has also been organized. This award, formerly known as Contes que Compten, was initiated 17 years ago.
