Andorran Literary Night Ends After 47 Years Due to Organiser Overload

The Cercle de les Arts i de les Lletres has ended its 47-year run organising the Nit Literària Andorrana, citing the event's demands as exceeding the entity's capacities, with all linked prizes halting from 2026 after the 2025 edition. The decision, taken at the board's 12 January meeting alongside deputy president Carme Jaumot's resignation after 20 years, was shared via a 6 February circular to the Culture Ministry and sponsors including the government, Consell General, major banks, Andorra la Vella, Sant Julià de Lòria and Grup Maestre.

The gala, launched in 1977 and followed by Jocs Florals in 1978, typically awarded nine to ten prizes worth 35,000 euros yearly—33,000 euros last year, with 43,000 budgeted for 2026 due to the biennial Principat d'Andorra historical research prize. Categories spanned novels (Fiter i Rossell, 10,000 euros), poetry (Grandalla, Martí i Pol), short fiction (Manuel Cerqueda Escaler by Andbank), contes and narracions (MoraBanc), sci-fi (Juli Verne by Grup Maestre), essays (Andorra la Vella), theatre and poetry (Creand), journalism (Pirene, Laurèdia, Àlex Lliteras by Sant Julià) and historical research (Consell General). The entity's website has removed all related content, and preparations for a 48th edition have ceased.

Sponsors expressed surprise at the unilateral announcement despite prior unsuccessful bids to pass the event to another group. The Cercle thanked them for "extraordinary" backing as a "basic pillar" of Andorran culture. Sources noted an ageing board—many nearing 80—and rising complexities, such as jurors reading up to 20 novels in a month, compounded by internal tensions.

Culture Minister Mònica Bonell called it an opportunity to renew the literary night while retaining its essence, building on September consultations with authors, publishers and booksellers who criticised the format as outdated, overly fragmented and diluting focus on Catalan-language creation—especially the Fiter i Rossell, whose 2025 winner, Àlex Garrido's *El diable irlandès*, awaits Sant Jordi announcement. Sector ideas favour a single high-profile prize for published works, akin to Catalonia's Llibreter, the UK's Booker or France's Goncourt, or redirecting funds to translations, grants and promotion. Bonell plans prompt talks with sponsors to retain support and further sector input before details emerge.

The Consell General will reformulate its prize, expanding to social sciences, humanities and politics, adding a secondary award for published works this year, pending an official desconvocation from Cercle. Andorra la Vella and Sant Julià de Lòria affirmed intent to maintain their essay and journalism prizes. Banks and others remain watchful. The Arts Andorra awards ceased in 2022 after 27 years.