Solsona hosted the 18th Drac Awards gala for poetry and prose on Friday, 24 April, at 9:30pm at the Comarcal Theatre. The event celebrated literary talent, presenting awards in both categories.
The gala featured a varied cultural programme, including a live recording of the podcast 'Llegir' (Read), hosted by Uriol Gilibets and Eduard Gener, with special guest Xavier Grasset. The Jezz orchestra also performed, adding a festive touch to the evening, according to Nació Digital.
The Drac Awards gala has become a significant fixture in Solsona's cultural calendar, bringing together the public and creators to celebrate literature and the arts.
Recognising Literary Excellence
Teresa Navarro, treasurer of the Òmnium Cultural National Board, and M. Rosa Casas, president of Òmnium Solsonès, presented the awards. Josep Fàbrega i Selva, from Calders in Moianès, won the DRAC26 poetry award for his work “MITES” (Myths), submitted under the pseudonym 'l'avi de casa' (the grandfather of the house).
Fàbrega's winning entry, described as a well-structured piece, builds two sextinas that show erudition and sensuality through classical references. The jury highlighted its formal care, strong structure, original imagery, and use of various poetic devices.
Evelyn Megías i Carrasco, from Badalona, Barcelona, received the DRAC26 prose award for “EL BATRELES” (The Thresher), submitted under the pseudonym ZART. The jury praised her story for its exploration of recovery after loss and the process of letting go.
A Metaphor for Grief and Hope
Megías's narrative uses three characters: a bird resuming flight, a mother departing, and a daughter wanting to move forward. This forms a metaphor for the grieving process, handled with sensitivity and delicacy, avoiding excessive emotion or banal sentimentality. The story features rich vocabulary, effectively describing an atmosphere of sadness that eventually shifts towards a glimmer of hope. The jury noted that the careful and poetic language requires a slow reading pace to fully appreciate.
Òmnium del Solsonès thanked all jury members for their essential work in reading and analysing the submitted entries. They also extended gratitude to Solsona City Council, Solsonès Regional Council, Lleida Provincial Council, Vicenç Jané, Lluís Closa, and Jaume Subirà for their support.
The Drac Awards continue to promote new literary voices and strengthen Catalonia's cultural landscape.
