Penne Arts Festival - International Poetry and Fiction Prize
The international literary prize in the medieval village of Penne
About Penne Arts Festival
A literary prize in the heart of Abruzzo
The Penne Arts Festival is an international poetry and fiction competition that transforms Penne—one of Italy's most beautiful medieval villages, perched in the hills of the Pescara province at the foot of the Gran Sasso National Park—into the Abruzzo capital of the written word every July. Established to promote writing and the cultural heritage of the Vestina region, the competition attracts authors from across Italy and abroad, provided they write in Italian or a local vernacular.
The competition and its categories
The heart of the event is a literary competition divided into several categories, ranging from unpublished poetry in standard Italian to dialect poetry, unpublished short stories, published fiction, published poetry collections, and song lyrics. Authors of any nationality over the age of 18 may participate, provided their works are unpublished (for the relevant categories) and comply with the competition guidelines. A jury of experts selects finalists for each category, and the top-ranked entries are awarded artistic plaques, alongside honorable mentions and special recognitions.
The village as a stage
The event features two main highlights. The Night of Poetry in the Village brings verses and readings to the alleys and squares of Penne's historic center, with its characteristic red brick, in an open-air evening accessible to the public. The awards ceremony takes place at the San Giovanni Evangelista Auditorium, a 14th-century former collegiate church now restored as a cultural space, where finalists receive their awards in the presence of the jury and local authorities.
A festival rooted in the territory
The Penne Arts Festival is organized by the Municipality of Penne in collaboration with the Pro Loco Città di Penne and the Teatranti d'Abruzzo Cultural Association. Over the years, it has attracted prominent figures of Italian culture to its jury and guest list, confirming its status as an event that successfully combines literary promotion with the discovery of one of Abruzzo's most evocative villages.
Penne Arts Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Penne Arts Festival marks the eighth year of this international poetry and fiction prize. The cultural event is concentrated over two days, July 24 and 25, in the medieval village of Penne (PE), in Abruzzo. The literary competition is divided into six categories—unpublished poetry in standard Italian, unpublished dialect poetry, unpublished short stories, published fiction, published poetry collections, and song lyrics—with awards reserved for the finalists selected by the jury.
The honorary presidency is entrusted to Donatella Di Pietrantonio, an Abruzzese writer and winner of the 2024 Strega Prize, while the jury is chaired by Vittorina Castellano. Special recognitions for this edition include the Lifetime Achievement Award to Ortensio Zecchino and the Culture Award to Michela De Amicis.
Programme Penne Arts Festival 2026
Friday, July 24 — Night of Poetry in the Village
- 9:00 PM — Second edition of the Night of Poetry in the Village, featuring readings and poetry performances throughout the streets and squares of Penne's historic center. Evening open to the public and competition participants.
Saturday, July 25 — Awards Ceremony
- San Giovanni Evangelista Auditorium — Awards ceremony for the International Poetry and Fiction Prize. The jury selects finalists for each of the six categories; the top three in each category receive artistic plaques.
- Presentation of honorable mentions and special awards: Lifetime Achievement Award to Ortensio Zecchino and Culture Award to Michela De Amicis.
Jury chaired by Vittorina Castellano; honorary presidency by Donatella Di Pietrantonio (2024 Strega Prize winner). The competition is promoted by the Municipality of Penne, the Pro Loco Città di Penne, and the Teatranti d'Abruzzo Cultural Association.
Highlights Penne Arts Festival 2026
Prices Penne Arts Festival 2026
Practical information — Penne Arts Festival
Location
The awards ceremony is held at the San Giovanni Evangelista Auditorium in the historic center of Penne (PE). The Night of Poetry in the Village takes place throughout the streets and squares of the historic center.
Getting there
Penne can be reached by car from the A14 motorway (exit Pescara-Città Sant'Angelo or Val di Sangro), continuing towards the Pescara hinterland. The nearest train station is Pescara, from which you can continue by bus to Penne.
How to enter
The competition is open to adult authors of any nationality writing in Italian or a local dialect. Registration is handled via the official call for entries, with an entry fee for each category. For information and registration: Pro Loco Città di Penne, email [email protected], tel. +39 347 8026164.
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Where does it take place — Penne Arts Festival
Auditorium San Giovanni Evangelista
Piazza Luca da Penne, 65017 Penne