Are you over 60 and enjoy writing? The Short Story Contest for Seniors is back.
The competition, organized by the "la Caixa" Foundation, is now in its 17th year with the aim of promoting reading, writing, and imaginative skills among older adults. Entries are open until July 23rd.
Over the past few decades, life expectancy in Catalonia has steadily climbed. Today, it stands at around 83 years on average. This fact has redefined old age: it is no longer seen as a period of closure, but rather a highly fertile phase for introspection, creation, and the transmission of knowledge. "During old age, writing is not only a creative act, but a form of vital reflection; it is a powerful tool for introspection, emotional elaboration, and personal affirmation," says Anna Soldevila, a doctor in psychopedagogy specializing in educational gerontology and emotional education.
It is in this context that the 17th edition of the Short Story Contest Written by Older People, organized by the Foundation, arrives "la Caixa", in collaboration with Spanish National Radio (RNE). It aims to promote the habit of reading, writing, using the imagination, and developing creativity, while also showcasing the knowledge and values of older adults to society. The deadline has just opened, the rules have already been published and works can be submitted until July 23rd inclusive.. All persons over 60 years of age are eligible to participate.
How to participate?
This year, entries can be submitted in three different categories: short stories, with a maximum length of four pages; microfictions, with a limit of 100 words; and podcasts, with a maximum length of ten minutes. Each entry may submit up to two works per category, either in written or audio format. Stories and microfictions must be written in Spanish, and podcasts must be voiced in Spanish or include simultaneous translation.
The jury will select 20 finalists from three categories: 10 for short stories, 5 for micro-stories, and 5 for podcasts. The contest prize consists of the broadcast of the podcast and the radio adaptation of the winning story and micro-stories on RNE, as well as the publication of the illustrated texts in The Vanguard and on the Foundation's websites "la Caixa" and RNE, as well as the opportunity to be part of the jury for the next edition. They will also receive a trophy handcrafted by the Mas Casadevall Autism Foundation.
In fact, this is the third consecutive year that the podcast category has been included, which can include any genre: interview, news, audio fiction, or documentary narrative. All of this is aimed at fostering a new, contemporary resource to promote participation, listening skills, creativity, and language development, positioning the voice as a tool for communication and literature.
The jury for the 17th edition will be made up of prominent figures in culture and communication: writers Soledad Puértolas and Fernando Schwartz; journalists Ana Vega Toscano (RNE) and Miguel Molina (The Vanguard); the winners of the previous edition, María Luisa Hernández, María Loreto Perera García and Salvador Santamaría Barrios, and David Velasco, director of the Senior Citizens Program of the Foundation "la Caixa".
![This year, entries can be made in three different categories: short stories, micro-stories, and podcasts.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 3000 2000"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A contest that goes beyond
Participation in the competition has steadily increased since its launch in 2009. Last year, the contest saw record participation, reaching 5,183 entries: 3,498 stories, 1,522 micro-stories, and 163 podcasts submitted by older adults from around the world.
Today, it's already one of the main events on the cultural calendar for writing enthusiasts. One of the incentives for participating is that all the finalist stories will be included in a biennial book that contributes to promoting literary workshops.Dear readersandGreat readers, promoted by the Foundation "la Caixa", both in their own centers and in partner facilities throughout Spain. These workshops, conceived as participatory discussions, are meeting spaces that foster communication, social relationships, and the creation of bonds. Over the last ten years, more than 112,000 seniors have participated.
The publication of this book represents a collective recognition of the participants. More than 1,000 copies of each edition are printed and distributed among the community of older adults interested in reading and sharing stories written by others like them.
