Fundación Prize, a Nod to Literature from Matanzas

Every year, during the Cuban Culture Days, writers in Matanzas always dedicate a space to promoting, debating, learning about, and boosting the most outstanding contemporary literature in various genres.

The Fundación de la Ciudad de Matanzas Prize called this year in the genres of theater, narrative, and literature for children and young people. This 2026 edition, held between October 14 and 15 of the current month, was dedicated to screenwriter Senel Paz, National Film Prize winner.

ITINERARY OF A LITERARY PRIZE IN MATANZAS

With a Poetry Wednesday dedicated to young poet Tomás Escobar, with the presence of Arístides Vega Chapú and Lidia Meriño, the activities of the Fundación de la Ciudad de Matanzas Prize began in Matanzas.

The event’s second day began with the panel «Notes on Dramaturgy, Children’s Literature, and Narrative in Cuba.» In his overview of contemporary Cuban narrative, journalist, professor, and writer Rafael Grillo, director of the El Caimán Barbudo magazine, asserted that if some time ago the top exponents of this genre were in Villa Clara, today in Matanzas there is a very interesting focus of authors who stand out at the national level.

Proof of this is that the Celestino Short Story Prize in its last four editions has remained in the hands of Matanzas writers: Náthaly Hernández Chávez, in 2023, for La figura en el puente; Andy Jorge Blanco, in 2024, with the notebook Morir un poco; Raúl Piad, in 2025, for Donde se marchitan los olivos; and Humberto Fuentes, for his book Cubacabana.

Jenny Pupo, director of the Cauce publishing house in Pinar del Río and a scholar of children’s and young adult literature, referred to the relationship between authors, readers of the genre, and the children’s book as a product.

She considered that although the Biblioteca del Pueblo publishes classics of Cuban literature every year, such as Eliseo Diego and Dora Alonso, beyond those authors who have close to 50 years of promotion, there remains a debt to writers who are working today.

She also noted that, on the one hand, there are many difficulties for publishing books due to the costly printing process, and on the other, many animated films are produced, children’s songs continue to appear, and theater works bring literary works to the stage or screens.

She also emphasized that the development of literature for children and young people must be assumed as a country policy, not from the individual efforts of publishing houses like Matanzas, Aldabón, and La Luz.

In the case of dramaturgy, critic and theater researcher, writer, editor, professor, and Cuban researcher Vivian Martínez Tabares systematized Cuban playwrights belonging to the different generations.

According to her assessments, there is in theatrical writing today a frequent return to the past — to artists, to historical figures — and a constant concern with the theme of women.

She commented that the thematic axis of texts today centers on the debate between the old and the current, the need to banish old patterns, and that this is done with the element of the old.

The morning also served to develop the panel «Senel in the Sky with Diamonds,» in which Maylan Álvarez, Náthaly Hernández Chávez, and Laidi Fernández de Juan focused on the analysis of different works by Senel Paz, who received El Libro Alto, the most important distinction of the Provincial Book and Literature Center.

Likewise, the UNESCO Chair of Reading and Writing of the University of Matanzas presented recognitions to Senel Paz for his sustained work in literary education, Maylan Álvarez, Vivian Martínez Tabares, Laidi Fernández de Juan, Alfredo Zaldívar, Arístides Vega Chapú, the Digdora Alonso Casa de las Letras, and the Provincial Book and Literature Center.

SEVERAL PRIZES, ONE CITY, AND THE BIRTH OF NEW BOOKS

As a conclusion to the day, the 2026 Fundación de la Ciudad de Matanzas Prizes were presented at the José White Concert Hall.

In Short Story, the jury composed of Rafael Grillo, Mariela Barona, and Arístides Vega Chapú presented the recognition to Pieles Rotas (Broken Skins) by David Martínez Balsa, from Havana.

«It is a book about travesti, transexual, and transgender people. It explores the characters the book gathers, addresses the way people assume their identity, their struggle for their right to be recognized and respected.»

In Literature for Children and Young People, La brújula del pirata (The Pirate’s Compass) by Alexis Manuel García Artiles obtained the prize granted by Yunier Riquenes, Lizeth Prego, and Jenny Pupo.

«It is a historical adventure novel because it is a character who really existed: a war hero, an illustrious and somewhat unknown Latin American, whose life moved in the desires to come and liberate Cuba although he could not do so.

«He had the dream of making a mambí naval fleet to oppose the great Spanish armada; in that zeal he hijacks a Spanish ship, takes the name off the ship, which was Moctezuma, writes Céspedes over the Spanish flag, raises the Cuban flag, and sets out to sea.»

La soledad amorosa de Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (The Loving Solitude of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes) by Yerandy Fleites was the selection of Vivian Martínez Tabares, Osvaldo Cano, and Nelson Beatón in Theater.

«It is a work that goes over the life of the Father of the Homeland. It is an intimist vision of that man who explains his common sense as a Cuban, from the great debates of contemporary Cuba and his vision in the world.

«Returning to the Father of the Homeland, always from the theater, I believe is essential in the times we are living because it is never superfluous to ring the bell again.»

The second part of the event served for the presentation of the 2026 National Prize for Best Edition of the Territorial Editions System to Alfredo Zaldívar and Maylan Álvarez, and the Fundación de la Ciudad de Matanzas Honorary Prize to writer and screenwriter Senel Paz, National Film Prize winner.

«I have spent some splendid days re-encountering friends, literature, books made here in Matanzas with great affection, young authors and less young authors, and a work that has delighted me and stimulated me greatly.

«I believe it is one of the days I have most enjoyed because of this immense affection they have shown me here. I am very grateful. I have fallen in love with a team that works a lot; I have seen the love and truth with which they do it.»

The winning books from the previous edition of the Fundación were also presented: Azul Mayerhold (theater) by Nelson Beatón; Lobotomía (poetry) by Tomás Escobar; Dios los cría (novel) by Luis Alberto Leal; and Máscaras y relatos. La poesía de Luis Marimón (essay) by Milene Aguilera.

«We are living a very intense day of barely a day and a half. The Literary Prize has always lasted up to three days even. We are very happy to be able to celebrate, amid the shortages and situations we are living in the country, an event like this. It has been quite hard, but we brought it to a good end,» valued Alfredo Zaldívar, director of Ediciones Matanzas.

Performing at the closing were pianist María de los Ángeles Horta and the Danza Espiral company, with choreography and direction by Lilian Padrón, National Dance Prize 2026.