The winners of the 2026 Euskadi Literature Awards have been published in the BOPV across seven categories

The Minister for Culture and Language Policy and First Vice President of the Government, Ibone Bengoetxea Otaolea, announced the winners of the 2026 edition of the Euskadi Literature Awards through an order dated October 22, and the official list was included in the November 2, 2026, issue 2026/4607 of the Boletín Oficial del País Vasco journal, in the “Other provisions” section. The individuals and works in seven categories are specified therein, and each will receive a gross amount of 18,000 euros. The publication was made in a single order, as the award regulations specifically require.

Regulatory framework of the call

The awards were granted under the protection of the Order of the Minister for Culture and Language Policy of May 5, 2026; this order was published in issue number 90 of the BOPV journal on May 15, 2026, and through it, the Euskadi Literature Awards were regulated and called. Seven categories were established: literature in Basque, literature in Spanish, children’s and youth literature in Basque, literary translation into Basque, illustration of literary works, essays in Basque, and essays in Spanish.

Article 8.3 of the aforementioned order established that the list of winners and works would be published in a single supplement in the BOPV journal. The resolution of October 22 fulfills this condition, and it specifies that the juries selected the winners from among works published in 2025.

Winners in the seven categories

The first point of the order includes the following list:

• Literature in Basque: Ixiar Rozas Elizalde, for the work Narrugorrik, published in 2025 by Consonni publishing house.
• Literature in Spanish: Eli Tolaretxipi Lertxundi, for the work Cuerpos pasajeros, published in 2025 by Trea publishing house.
• Children’s and youth literature in Basque: Yolanda Arrieta Malaxetxebarria, for the work Zurtz, published in 2025 by Denonartean publishing house.
• Literary translation into Basque: Matias Mujika Franco de Medinaceli, for the translation of the work Odisea, published in 2025 by Balea Zuria publishing house.
• Illustration of literary works: Kike Ibañez Fernández, for the work El diablo sobre ruedas, published in 2025 by A buen paso publishing house.
• Essays in Basque: Jon Gerediaga Goitia, for the work Izena eta izana: (hitz poetikoari buruz), published in 2025 by Pamiela publishing house.
• Essays in Spanish: Mikel Ayestaran Ayerra, for the work Historias de Gaza: la vida entre guerras, published in 2025 by Península publishing house.

The selections show that the awards are not limited to a single genre: they include the novel, poetry, children’s and youth literature, translation, illustration, and essays, among works written in both Basque and Spanish.

18,000 gross euros and an addition

According to Article 2 of the reference order, the winners will receive a gross amount of 18,000 euros. This amount is not the only prize: winners may receive an additional 4,000 euros gross, provided they complete the actions foreseen by the order.

This supplement is not applicable to the literary translation category. The order does not specify any other conditions or deadlines for the payment of these amounts, nor does it include any budget mention.

Publication and validity

The second point of the order instructs its publication in the BOPV gazette, “for general knowledge.” The text was signed in Vitoria-Gasteiz on October 22, 2026, and the signatory is Ibone Bengoetxea Otaolea, First Vice President of the Government and Minister of Culture and Language Policy. The publication date, meanwhile, is November 2, 2026.

The order does not include an appeals section, and therefore, the administrative route included in the general structure of such provisions would have to be used against it. However, since the nature of the award is honorary, it is not common to appeal the selection.

Impact on the cultural sector

Combining the prizes from the seven categories, more than 126,000 euros will be allocated to the 2026 call, excluding supplements, which gives significant weight to the budget line for cultural consultancy within the public award system. The winners —Ixiar Rozas, Eli Tolaretxipi, Yolanda Arrieta, Matias Mujika, Kike Ibañez, Jon Gerediaga, and Mikel Ayestaran— simultaneously gain great visibility, and their works usually achieve greater commercial and editorial dissemination after the award.

The fact that the prizes were distributed among works published in 2025 shows that the call has a lag of about one year regarding publications. For the reader, this list summarizes the panorama of literary production for that year and, at the same time, signals an official selection line in both Basque and Spanish literature.

Fuente: Boletín Oficial del País Vasco, 2026/4607, November 2, 2026, Section I (“Other provisions”), official reference: 2026/4607 (2604607a).