Ugo Betti Award for Playwriting
The national contemporary playwriting competition dedicated to the great poet from Camerino, in the heart of the Marche region
About Ugo Betti Award
An award celebrating theatre and the memory of Ugo Betti
The Ugo Betti Award for Playwriting is a national competition of absolute importance, dedicated to contemporary theatrical writing. It takes place in Camerino, a university city in the Province of Macerata, in the heart of the Marche region, and is promoted by the Municipality of Camerino through its Ugo Betti Centre for Theatre and Literary Studies, with the patronage of the University of Camerino (Unicam).
The award is named after Ugo Betti (1892-1953), a poet, magistrate, and playwright from Camerino, considered among the greatest Italian intellectuals and theatre authors of the 20th century. His works, exploring themes such as solitude, guilt, and justice, continue to be studied and valued in his hometown.
How the competition works
The Award is open to living Italian and foreign authors and requires the submission of unpublished plays inspired by a theme chosen for each edition from the most recurring suggestions in Betti's work. The jury, composed of prominent national scholars, critics, and theatre professionals, selects a single winner who receives a cash prize of 3,000 euros and the publication of the text in the Betti series.
- Award for Playwriting: the main recognition, reserved for authors of unpublished theatrical texts.
- Ugo Betti Award for Youth: a section dedicated to students of all levels in Marche schools, which gathers hundreds of entries each year.
Venues in Camerino
The ceremonies and performances take place in some of the city's most significant locations: the Auditorium of the Franco Corelli Academy of Music, the Auditorium of the Ugo Betti Comprehensive Institute, and the Benedetto XIII Auditorium in Colle Paradiso. The award ceremony is traditionally accompanied by a free admission performance of the previous year's winning play.
An event for theatre in the Marche region
Established in 1996, the Ugo Betti Award has become one of the most authoritative showcases for new Italian playwriting, attracting authors from all over Italy and abroad to Camerino. It is a precious opportunity to discover an artistic city in the Marche hinterland, deeply connected to its cultural identity and the figure of one of its most illustrious sons.
Ugo Betti Award — edition 2026
XX Edition: The Theme of Solitude
The twentieth edition of the Ugo Betti Award for Playwriting had solitude as its theme, a central and recurring suggestion in the work of the playwright from Camerino. The jury was chaired by Paolo Quazzolo, Professor of Theatre History at the University of Trieste, assisted by critics and scholars including Anna Sica, Maddalena Giovannelli, Graziano Graziani, Sergio Lo Gatto, and Gilberto Santini.
2026 Program
- Thursday, June 4, 10:00 AM - Ugo Betti Award for Youth Ceremony at the Auditorium of the Ugo Betti Comprehensive Institute, with 125 entries from Marche schools on the theme "The City".
- Saturday, June 6, 10:00 AM - Award Ceremony for the XX Edition of the Award for Playwriting (66 texts in competition) at the Auditorium of the Franco Corelli Academy of Music.
- Saturday, June 6, 9:15 PM - Performance of "Il numero esatto" by Fabio Pisano, winner of the 2024 edition, at the Benedetto XIII Auditorium (Colle Paradiso), free admission.
The Award
The winner of the playwriting section receives a prize of 3,000 euros and the publication of the work in the Betti series. The event is organized by the Municipality of Camerino and the Ugo Betti Centre for Theatre and Literary Studies.
Programme Ugo Betti Award 2026
Thursday, June 4, 2026
- 10:00 AM - Ugo Betti Award for Youth Ceremony (Auditorium of the Ugo Betti Comprehensive Institute), 125 entries from Marche schools on the theme "The City", jury chaired by Massimo Fabrizi.
Saturday, June 6, 2026
- 10:00 AM - Award Ceremony XX Edition of the Award for Playwriting (Auditorium of the Franco Corelli Academy of Music), 66 texts in competition on the theme "Solitude".
- 9:15 PM - Performance "Il numero esatto" by Fabio Pisano (Benedetto XIII Auditorium, Colle Paradiso), free admission.
Highlights Ugo Betti Award 2026
- XX edition of the award, theme "Solitude"
- 66 plays submitted by Italian and foreign authors
- 125 entries from Marche schools for the Youth section
- Free performance "Il numero esatto" by Fabio Pisano
- Jury chaired by Paolo Quazzolo (University of Trieste)
Prices Ugo Betti Award 2026
Practical information — Ugo Betti Award
Where
The ceremonies and performances are held in Camerino (MC), in the Marche region, including the Auditorium of the Franco Corelli Academy of Music, the Auditorium of the Ugo Betti Comprehensive Institute, and the Benedetto XIII Auditorium (Colle Paradiso).
How to get here
By car: take the Muccia-Camerino exit on the SS77 della Val di Chienti, then follow signs for the centre. By train: the most convenient station is Camerino-Castelraimondo, connected by bus to the historic centre. By plane: the reference airport is Ancona-Falconara, about an hour away.
Admission
Award ceremonies and the evening performance are free admission. For competition registration and regulations, consult the official website.
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Where does it take place — Ugo Betti Award
Auditorium dell'Accademia della Musica Franco Corelli