Literary Competition for Young People Aged 15 to 21 for Writing a Short Story on a Free Topic in Italian
With the aim of promoting reading and writing among younger generations and supporting their talent and creativity, the 31st Edition of the Premio Campiello Giovani has been announced.
THE COMPETITION
The competition is open to young people aged between 15 and 21 (who, as of 15 January 2026, are at least 15 years old and have not yet turned 22), residing in Italy or abroad. It calls for a short story in Italian on a free topic, with a minimum length of 10 pages and a maximum of 20 pages. Each participant may submit only one work. Collective works are not allowed.
THE TEXTS
Stories must be typed in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced, and justified. Pages should be numbered. Submissions must be anonymous (only the title should appear on the first page, not the author’s name) and sent in PDF format, with all identifying metadata removed.
THE SELECTION
All submissions, which will be anonymous and identified by a number, will be reviewed by the Selection Committee, composed of winners/finalists of previous editions, journalists, and publishing house readers. By 16 March 2026, the Committee will select the 15 semifinalist stories. The works chosen by the Selection Committee will then be evaluated by the Campiello Giovani Literary Jury, made up of specialists in modern and contemporary literature, which will designate the five finalists. These finalists will be announced during the public event called Selezione della Cinquina, scheduled for April 2026.
THE CEREMONY
The 15 semifinalists will participate in the Selezione della Cinquina ceremony. To this end, the Fondazione Il Campiello will provide: travel tickets for public transportation (train or plane) and, if necessary, accommodation (evaluated on a case-by-case basis). Failure to attend the Ceremony, unless justified in writing or due to force majeure, will result in automatic exclusion from the competition.
THE PRIZES
The five finalist works will be collected in a volume not for sale, curated by the Fondazione Il Campiello. Finalists are entitled to: 10 copies of the final volume and an invitation to the Premio Campiello award ceremony. Finalists agree to collaborate with the Fondazione Il Campiello in promoting the competition (interviews, meetings, events, and media or social media activities), including after the final awards. The overall winner, chosen by the Premio Campiello Literary Jury, will receive a two-week study vacation in a European country, selected in agreement with the Foundation.
SECTIONS
In addition to the main selection, the following recognitions may be awarded:
-
Social and Environmental Sustainability Award – for a story addressing social and/or environmental sustainability issues.
-
Travel Award – for the best story on the theme of travel, understood both literally and metaphorically.
-
Special Mention for Business Culture – for the best story highlighting aspects of business culture, with attention to female or youth entrepreneurship, ethical values, and harmonious management.
The winners of the first two awards will be chosen by the Campiello Giovani Literary Jury among the submissions, while the Special Mention for Business Culture will be awarded by a technical Commission composed of representatives of the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria.
THE CALL AND REGISTRATION
The rules for the 31st edition are available as an attachment on this page. Registration for the competition takes place exclusively online via the official website www.premiocampiello.it, in the Campiello Giovani section. The deadline for submitting stories is 15 January 2026 at 6:00 PM.
For information or clarifications, the secretariat can be contacted at: giovani@premiocampiello.it