Premio Strega 2026: 80 Years of Stories, Memory, and What’s Next

The Ritual of Italian Narrative Turns “Almost a Lifetime”.

Tradition, Controversy, and New Voices

The Premio Strega, Italy’s most prestigious literary award, marks “almost a lifetime” in storytelling, weaving together tradition, debate, and the emergence of new generations.

Founded in 1947 in the Roman salon of Maria Bellonci, the prize has grown into a unique lens on contemporary Italian literature, a place where stories meet their time. Over the decades, it has honored authors destined to enter the literary canon, while also reflecting social, linguistic, and cultural shifts. The award has never been neutral: it has sparked discussion, faced criticism, and received defense. It is precisely this “imperfect” nature that keeps it central to Italy’s cultural conversation.

Celebrating Eighty Years

The 2026 edition carries symbolic weight. Under the theme “Almost a Lifetime,” it invites reflection on literature’s long arc and its capacity to preserve and convey experience.

This year’s Strega not only honors the award’s history but also spotlights emerging voices and shifts in the publishing landscape. It is in this balance between past and present that much of the edition’s meaning unfolds.

From Longlist to Finale: A Story in Acts

The Premio Strega 2026 maintains its progressive narrative structure, guiding audiences and industry insiders through several months of events.

The first milestone is the announcement of the initial selection, featuring books proposed by the Amici della Domenica, the prize’s historic jury. This is where the debate begins, sometimes heated, among publishers, critics, and readers.

Next comes the announcement of the final five, one of the most anticipated moments, which sharpens the discussion in the media. These five works encapsulate the literary trends of the year.

The finale, with the proclamation of the winner, is at once a ceremony, a spectacle, and a symbolic moment for Italy’s literary ecosystem.

Twelve Books Capturing Contemporary Italian Literature

From an initial pool of 79 entries, the 2026 Strega Committee selected twelve books for the official competition, representing a wide spectrum of contemporary Italian voices, from established names to experimental paths.

The twelve titles include Maria Attanasio, La Rosa Inversa; Ermanno Cavazzoni, Storia di un’amicizia; Teresa Ciabatti, Donnaregina; Mauro Covacich, Lina e il sasso; and Michele Mari, I convitati di pietra.

The selection continues with Matteo Nucci, Platone. Una storia d’amore; Alcide Pierantozzi, Lo sbilico; Bianca Pitzorno, La sonnambula; Christian Raimo, L’invenzione del colore; Elena Rui, Vedove di Camus; Nadeesha Uyangoda, Acqua sporca; and Marco Vichi, Occhi di bambina.

More than a list, this dozen creates a literary map where memory and contemporaneity coexist, blending stylistic experimentation with civic storytelling, confirming the Strega as a key observatory of today’s Italian literature.

A System Bridging Tradition and International Reach

The selection is led by the Strega Committee, chaired by Melania G. Mazzucco and including Pietro Abate, Giuseppe D’Avino, Valeria Della Valle, Alberto Foschini, Paolo Giordano, Dacia Maraini, Gabriele Pedullà, Stefano Petrocchi, Marino Sinibaldi, and Giovanni Solimine.

The winner is chosen through a broad jury of 800 voting members: 460 historic Amici della Domenica, 245 international voters from 35 Italian Cultural Institutes, 30 collective votes from schools, universities, and reading circles within Rome’s libraries, and 65 “strong readers” from the professional and entrepreneurial sectors.

This system marries historical roots with global perspective, preserving the spirit of the Bellonci salon while expanding engagement to new communities of readers.

In recent years, the prize has strengthened youth involvement through the Strega Giovani, giving high school students the vote, and the Strega Poesia, celebrating a less visible but culturally vital genre.

Key Dates for the Premio Strega 2026

• Announcement of the first selection: April 1, 2026, Tempio di Vibia Sabina e Adriano, Rome
• Final five announcement: June 3, 2026, Teatro Romano, Benevento
• Final Awards Ceremony: July 8, 2026, Rome

Tickets and Access

To attend Premio Strega 2026 events and reserve free entry, visit the official site: premiostrega.it/sezione/eventi. Tickets may also be available for purchase on-site at venues where box offices are provided. For updates, check the official Facebook and Instagram page of the event.