Casa de las Américas Prize
かさ・で・らす・あめりかすしょう
Presented annually since 1960 by Casa de las Américas, the Cuban cultural institution based in Havana, this is one of Latin America and the Caribbean's most prestigious literary prizes. Works in Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French are eligible across categories including fiction, poetry, short stories, theater, essay, and testimonial literature.
- Established
- 1959
- Organizer
- Casa de las Américas (Havana, Cuba)
- Category
- Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
- Selection Method
- Open call
- Target
- Open
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around April
- Status
- Active
Description
Premio Literario Casa de las Américas (Casa de las Américas Prize) was established in 1959, with awards beginning in 1960. It is a major literary prize targeting the Latin America and Caribbean region. In addition to Spanish-language works, entries in Portuguese, English, and French are also accepted, and prizes are awarded in multiple categories including novels, poetry, short stories, drama, essays, testimonial literature, and children's literature. Categories and target languages were expanded from the 1970s onward, and several honorary awards were introduced in 2000. Winning has played a significant role in drawing international attention to Latin American literature.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Awards by category (honor and recognition). Specific prize amounts are not listed on the official website.
- International attention and honor from winning
- Recognition at the award ceremony
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application reception and preliminary screening | Verification of submission requirements and documents by Casa de las Américas secretariat | — | Details on primary qualifiers are often not public. |
| Review by judges (final selection) | Jury panel composed of prominent writers, scholars, and intellectuals from Latin American countries | — | The review committee decides the winning works, announced officially and at the award ceremony. |
| Winner announcement and award ceremony | Official announcement of the review committee's decision by Casa de las Américas | — | Announced on the official website and at the award ceremony |
Criteria
- Literary merit (quality of style and expression)
- Originality and innovation
- Regional and cultural contribution of the work
- Richness and quality of language expression
- Compliance with genre requirements (per-category criteria)
Application Tips
Dos
- Strictly follow the official entry guidelines and submission format
- Proofread and edit the submission as much as possible to maximize quality
- Emphasize the originality and literary value of the work
- Express appropriately in target languages (Spanish, Portuguese, English, French)
Don''ts
- Submitting after the deadline
- Failing to follow submission format (ignoring specified format or word count)
- Plagiarism or concealing prior publication
- Providing inaccurate author information
From Judges
- Demonstrating literary polish and a unique perspective is crucial
- Works with depth leveraging regionality or historical context tend to be highly regarded
- Pay attention to richness of language and precision in writing
Related Awards
- Booker Prize
- Pulitzer Prize
- Nobel Prize in Literature