El Poble Nou de Benitatxell will celebrate, from 12 to August 28 de 2026, II Literary Festival «Fresh Literature», an event that places the crop at the heart of municipal life uniting creation, art and public space. Promoted by the El Poble Nou de Benitatxell City Council, through the Departments of Culture and Equality, and the Clásicas y Modernas association, the festival will offer a varied program that will include oral tradition, dialogue between writers, involvement of the local association fabric and a powerful street art project.
«Art al Carrer»: A symbol of resilience after DANA
One of the key points of the festival will be the opening of the traveling exhibition «Art al Carrer», provided by the Picanya Gifts Association. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday August 13 at 19:00h, beginning with speeches by authorities and organizers, and will continue with a walking tour from Alicante Avenue (school) to the City Hall.
A total of 101 pictorial works Feminist art will adorn the balconies of the municipality between August 13 and 28transforming Alicante Avenue and La Pau and Mayor streets into an open-air gallery. This edition takes on emotional and historical significance, given the tragic DANA storm of 29th October 2024 It severely affected Picanya and the headquarters of the Associació de Dones de Picanya, damaging more than 300 canvasesSeveral of the canvases on display, rescued from the mud and bearing the marks of the disaster, are exhibited in El Poble Nou de Benitatxell as a true collective symbol of resistance and overcoming adversity.
The grand opening event will be attended by municipal representatives, members of the board of directors of the Clásicas y Modernas association, and representatives of the Associació de Dones de Picanya. Also present will be renowned artists whose works will be exhibited, including Inma Liñana, Visa Proming, África Abril, Maria Escalona, Loles Grau, and Giacomo Pennichi, the latter being the artist behind the mural that adorns the façade of the Benitatxell Municipal Library.
Literary evenings and citizen participation
The festival program will begin on the following days August 12, 13 and 14 with the children's and family proposal "Breathing literature"which will offer interactive books for young children. The evening reading sessions will take place in various locations and squares throughout the town center, with the collaboration of associations locals and young people from the municipality, including the Association of Retirees and Pensioners, Parish Choir, Grup de Danses Morro Falquí, EUWMA, Associació Dones del Poble Nou de Benitatxell and the Colla La Llebetjà.
Among the highlighted quotes, the Monday August 17 at 22:00h The awards ceremony will be held in the Plaza de la Iglesia. VII Micro-story Contest “A town that wrote and lived”where the winners will read their texts publicly. This will be followed by Tuesday August 18 on Trinquet Street at 22:00h the evening dedicated to the "Women writers of the Generation of '26 and men writers of '27"On that day, the European Union of Women Marina Alta (EUWMA) will provide readings on cultural change with texts from relevant English, Dutch and Australian writers.
El Thursday August 20 at 22:00hThe traveling poetry recital will take place. "Poems in the streets, artistic creations that speak", led by Mar Busquets Mataix, president of the Association of Writers of the Mediterranean Arc, touring the decorated streets.
Tribute to Francesc Almela i Vives and literary references
The grand finale to the festival's main week will arrive on Friday August 21 at 20:00h at the Community Center. A literary event will be offered, structured in three parts: firstly, the space "Voices of our people" with the participation of Jacinta Pastor, Ana Torres and Miguel Almenara; followed by a heartfelt tribute to the celebrated author Francesc Almela i Vives (1901-1967), who has been appointed «Writer of the year 2026 of the Valencian Academy of Language (AVL)»And finally, the grand round table discussion "When our Navy becomes High Literature", moderated by Jovi Lozano, which will bring together three leading figures in current Valencian literature: Mar Busquets, Pepa Guardiola and Elvira Cambrils.
The Departments of Culture and Equality, along with the Clásicas y Modernas association, extend an invitation to all residents of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell, as well as neighbors and visitors from the surrounding area, to join in and enjoy this grand celebration of the literature, feminist art and outdoor culture.
