Villena announces the 2026 José María Soler research awards

The “José María Soler” Municipal Foundation of Villena has published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante number 163, dated August 28, 2026, the rules for the call for the 2026 “José María Soler” Research Initiation and Research Awards. The announcement, included in section III of Local Administration of the Villena City Council, is published as an extract of the call (identifier BDNS 926431) in accordance with Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Law on Subsidies.

The objective of the call is the development, promotion, and encouragement of knowledge regarding the cultural and natural heritage of Villena and the populations in its surroundings. Two types of awards are planned: three research initiation awards, aimed at students of Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, and Vocational Training Cycles, and two research awards, open to any person or group.

Research initiation awards

The three initiation awards are divided into three categories according to educational level, for original and unpublished works on any aspect related to Villena and its surroundings (archaeology, history, music, environment, customs, literature, or monuments):

• 1st and 2nd year ESO Category: diploma and €400 (minus IRPF).
• 3rd and 4th year ESO and Intermediate Vocational Training Category: diploma and €450 (minus IRPF).
• Baccalaureate and Higher Vocational Training Category: diploma and €500 (minus IRPF).

The works, between 7 and 20 pages, must be submitted in a sealed envelope using a pseudonym until May 15, 2026, at the Foundation’s headquarters, at Plaza de Santiago 5, 03400 Villena. A jury appointed by the Governing Board will issue the verdict before July 1, and the awards will be presented in a public act on December 1, coinciding with the anniversary of the discovery of the Treasure of Villena.

Research awards

The two research awards, unique and indivisible per category, consist of an accrediting diploma and the publication of 500 copies of the winning work, of which 50 copies will be delivered to the author or authors:

• Archaeology Category: “José María Soler” award for works on the archaeology of the Villena area and the Mediterranean basin of the Iberian Peninsula.
• Scientific and Humanistic Category: for works on any scientific or humanistic aspect (environment, history, literature, music…) excluding archaeology, related to Villena and its surroundings.

The works, consisting of between 75 and 200 folios, will also be presented until May 15, 2026, at the Foundation’s headquarters. The jury will anonymously evaluate each work with a score from 0 to 100, based on the introduction (up to 10 points), the methodology (up to 20), the results (up to 40), the discussion (up to 20), and the conclusions (up to 10).

Financing and Processing

The call for applications follows the early processing procedure of Royal Decree 887/2006, of July 21, and the authorization of expenditure is subject to the existence of adequate and sufficient credit at the time of the resolution, in accordance with the Recast Text of the Law regulating Local Treasuries. The amounts for the initiation prizes are charged to the budgetary application 1/920/48100 “Research Prizes and Grants”, while the publication of the research prizes is financed through item 1/920/22001 “Publications”.

Winners must prove that they are up to date with their tax and Social Security obligations. The call adheres to the principles of publicity, competition, and objectivity, guaranteeing transparency in administrative actions.

The call reinforces the role of the “José María Soler” Municipal Foundation as a driver of knowledge regarding the heritage of Villena, while stimulating the research vocation among students and consolidating the publication of scientific and humanistic works on the city and its region.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante, No. 163 of 08/28/2026, III. Local Administration, City Council of Villena (official reference: 6621 / 2026, BDNS 926431).