What the gathering will analyse
The Encuentro de Escritores y Escritoras 2026 at OCCC in Valencia centres its programme on Valencian writers of the 1939 Republican exile, a key chapter in Catalan and Spanish literature. According to sources, the event will explore the work and legacy of authors such as Max Aub, Juan Gil-Albert, Virgilio Botella Pastor, Bernardo (unspecified pseudonym), and Pasqual Mas i Usó, the latter known for L’últim exili valencià. It will also highlight figures linked to the Jocs Florals de l’exterior, including Xavier Casp, Joan Fuster, Manuel Sanchis Guarner, and Angelí, who contributed to the cultural diaspora after the Spanish Civil War.
The gathering, titled «Reescriure la ciutat mediterrània», examines how exile reshaped Valencian literary identity and its relationship with Mediterranean cities, affected by war and mass tourism. Samuel Sebastià, artistic director of the Mostra Viva del Mediterrani, notes the aim is to reflect on the «aggressive dehumanisation» and loss of identity in coastal cities, a theme connecting with the exiled authors' experiences.
Programme and participants
Part of the Mostra Viva del Mediterrani 2026, the event begins on 27 October with the Premis Pont del Mediterrani awards and runs until 6 November. Alongside literary talks, the programme includes two exhibitions and roundtable discussions with guests like writer and translator Petros Márkaris, poet Azahara Palomeque, journalist Manuel Aznar, and author Anna Pacheco. The Valencian platform La MataObras will also participate, offering a civil society perspective.
While no detailed schedule has been released, the event is part of a broader cycle combining culture, politics, and historical memory. Sessions target audiences interested in Catalan literature, exile history, and contemporary debates on identity and citizenship in the Mediterranean.
