Montefiore International Literary Prize
The great international literary prize in the medieval village of Montefiore Conca
About Montefiore Prize
A great literary prize within the walls of the Malatesta village
The Montefiore International Literary Prize is one of the most anticipated cultural events in the Rimini hinterland. Organized by the Pegasus Cattolica Cultural Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Montefiore Conca, in the province of Rimini (Emilia-Romagna), the competition is now among the most participated literary prizes in Europe in terms of entries, attracting authors from all over Italy and abroad, from young debutants to major publishing houses.
An exceptional stage: the Malatesta Theater
The awards ceremony takes place in the charming Malatesta Theater in Montefiore Conca, a village perched on the hills overlooking the Valconca. Dominated by the majestic Malatesta Fortress, Montefiore Conca is considered one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy: a natural stage rich in history that serves as a backdrop for the event and is worth the trip alone for writers, readers, and culture enthusiasts.
Five sections for every form of writing
The prize is divided into five sections covering published and unpublished works, in Italian, dialect, and foreign languages:
- Section A — Published works of fiction, poetry, or essays;
- Section B — Unpublished poetry (maximum 70 verses per composition);
- Section C — Unpublished short fiction;
- Section D — Collection of unpublished poetry (minimum 20 lyrics);
- Section E — Unpublished novel or collection of short stories.
In addition to the main sections, the jury awards numerous special prizes, including the Dario Ghiringhelli Prize, the Critics' Prize, the Planet Woman Prize, merit awards, awards dedicated to young people (14-18 years old), and the fairy tale prize.
Emerging talents and established authors
Founded with the aim of discovering new talents in Italian and foreign literature and promoting established authors, the Montefiore Prize offers visibility, cash prizes, trophies, plaques, and publication with Pegasus Edition publishing house. The artistic direction is entrusted to Roberto Sarra. A valuable opportunity for writers to engage with a qualified jury and become part of an ever-expanding literary community.
Montefiore Prize — edition 2026
The 16th edition of the Montefiore International Literary Prize concludes with the awards ceremony scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 3:30 PM at the Malatesta Theater in Montefiore Conca (RN). Entries closed on June 5, 2026, and the event is organized by the Pegasus Cattolica Cultural Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Montefiore Conca.
The competition confirms its structure of five sections — published works, unpublished poetry, unpublished short fiction, collection of unpublished poetry, unpublished novel or collection of short stories — alongside a rich array of special prizes.
Programme Montefiore Prize 2026
Saturday, October 17, 2026 — Malatesta Theater, Montefiore Conca
- 3:30 PM — Awards ceremony for the 16th edition.
The five sections of the competition
- Section A — Published works of fiction, poetry, or essays (in Italian, dialect, or foreign language): 1st prize €1,000 and trophy, trophy for 2nd place, plaque for 3rd to 5th place.
- Section B — Unpublished poetry (maximum 70 verses): 1st prize €500 and trophy.
- Section C — Unpublished short fiction: 1st prize €500 and trophy.
- Section D — Collection of unpublished poetry (minimum 20 lyrics): publication and trophy for the top winners.
- Section E — Unpublished novel or collection of short stories: publication and trophy for the top winners.
Special prizes
- Dario Ghiringhelli Prize, Critics' Prize, Jury Prize;
- Planet Woman Prize;
- merit awards, awards dedicated to young people (14-18 years old), and fairy tale prize.
The names of the winners of each section will be announced by the jury during the awards ceremony on October 17.
Highlights Montefiore Prize 2026
Prices Montefiore Prize 2026
Practical information — Montefiore Prize
Where it takes place
The awards ceremony is held at the Malatesta Theater in Montefiore Conca (RN), in the historic center of the village.
How to get there
By car: from the A14 motorway, take the Cattolica-San Giovanni in Marignano exit, then provincial roads of the Valconca towards Montefiore Conca (about 15 km from the coast). The nearest train station is Cattolica-San Giovanni-Gabicce, on the Adriatic line; from there, continue by car or local transport.
Registration
Participation in the competition requires a registration fee of 20 euros per section. All information and the complete announcement are available on the official website www.premiomontefiore.it and by writing to [email protected].
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Montefiore Prize
Teatro Malatesta
Via Roma 3, 47834 Montefiore Conca