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| Premio de la Crítica | |
|---|---|
| Name | Premio de la Crítica |
| Awarded for | Literary and critical achievement |
| Presenter | Asociación Española de Críticos Literarios |
| Country | Spain |
| Year | 1956 |
Premio de la Crítica is a Spanish set of literary awards presented annually by the Asociación Española de Críticos Literarios to honor works in Spanish and regional languages. The prizes recognize achievement in prose and poetry and have been associated with major publishing houses, literary journals, and cultural institutions across Spain. Over decades the awards have intersected with Spanish and international literary movements, involving authors, translators, critics, and cultural policymakers.
The award was established in the mid-20th century amid debates among figures linked to Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville, and Bilbao about the role of criticism after the aftermath of Spanish Civil War and during the Franco era, with early discussions involving circles around journals like Revista de Occidente, Revista de Literatura, and newspapers such as ABC (newspaper), El País, and La Vanguardia. Founders and early jurors included critics associated with institutions such as the Real Academia Española, Instituto Cervantes, Centro Dramático Nacional, and universities including Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Universidad de Barcelona, while publishers like Tusquets Editores, Anagrama, Alianza Editorial, and Editorial Planeta began to publish awarded works. The prize evolved alongside literary currents—Generation of '98, Generation of '27, Social Realism, Postmodernism, and Post-Franco literature—and later engaged with translations related to Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, Federico García Lorca, and César Vallejo.
Eligibility traditionally requires a book-length work published within the award year by a publisher registered in Spain or by presses in Spanish-speaking regions such as Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile, and the prize covers works in Spanish, Catalan, Galician, and Basque. Submissions have often been restricted to first editions or authorized editions, attracting entries from authors represented by houses like Seix Barral, RBA, Planeta, Espasa, and Cátedra. Criteria emphasize "critical merit" and "literary quality" as evaluated by professional critics linked to outlets such as El Mundo, El Periódico de Catalunya, ABC (newspaper), and cultural platforms like Casa de América and Fundación José Ortega y Gasset. Works considered include novels, poetry collections, essays, drama, and translations connected to translators active with Instituto Cervantes and international festivals like Hay Festival and Festival Internacional de Poesía de Granada.
Categories have varied, typically including Best Novel, Best Poetry, Best Essay, Best Translation, and Best Drama, reflecting formats seen in awards like Premio Nadal, Premio Planeta, Premio Princesa de Asturias, and Premio Cervantes. Regional categories recognize literature in Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country, echoing cultural policies from the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia and institutions like Generalitat de Catalunya and Xunta de Galicia. Special mentions and lifetime achievement awards have honored critics and authors associated with José Ortega y Gasset, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Miguel de Unamuno, and publishing initiatives connected to Biblioteca Nacional de España.
The jury comprises members of the Asociación Española de Críticos Literarios and invited critics from newspapers, magazines, and universities such as Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad de Salamanca, and Universidad de Sevilla, with occasional representation from international critics linked to British Council, Instituto Cervantes, Alliance Française, and cultural attachés from embassies of Argentina, Peru, Cuba, and Portugal. The process involves nomination rounds, preselection lists, and final deliberations held in meetings at venues like Casa de Velázquez, Palacio de Cibeles, and cultural centers in Madrid and Barcelona, often coordinated with the editorial offices of Revista de Letras and press coverage by agencies such as EFE and Europa Press. The jury evaluates submissions against precedents set by juries for Premio Herralde, Premio Anagrama, and Premio Biblioteca Breve.
Winners and nominees have included prominent figures from the Spanish-speaking world and beyond, such as Camilo José Cela, Ana María Matute, Juan Goytisolo, Rosa Montero, Almudena Grandes, Javier Marías, Enrique Vila-Matas, Rafael Chirbes, María Zambrano, María Victoria Atencia, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Luis García Montero, Clara Sánchez, Soledad Puértolas, Sergio Ramírez, Isabel Allende, Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Enrique Anderson Imbert, Miguel Delibes, Julio Cortázar, Carlos Fuentes, Federico García Lorca, César Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Celaya, Gloria Fuertes, Blas de Otero, and contemporary voices such as Elvira Navarro, Manuel Rivas, Xosé Luís Méndez Ferrín, Jon Juaristi, Fernando Aramburu, Cristina Fernández Cubas, and translators associated with Gregorio Marañón collections. Nominees often later receive international recognition from Nobel Prize in Literature, Prince of Asturias Awards, Cervantes Prize, and Man Booker International Prize shortlists.
The award has shaped Spanish-language publishing, influencing sales at bookstores in Gran Via, Madrid, Calle de Alcalá, and independent shops in Barrio de Salamanca, while affecting selection at festivals such as Hay Festival Segovia, Festival de Mérida, and fairs like Feria del Libro de Madrid and Feria del Libro de Guadalajara. Critics, academics, and cultural policymakers in institutions like Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Biblioteca Nacional de España, Ministerio de Cultura, and regional cultural offices have cited the awards in programming and collections. Reception has ranged from acclaim in outlets like El País and The New York Times cultural sections to debate in scholarly journals including Revista de Occidente and Anales de la Literatura Española Contemporánea, influencing curricula at Universidad de Zaragoza and retrospectives at museums honoring recipients such as Museo del Prado collaborations.
Category:Spanish literary awards