The Baleària Foundation and the Casa de Andalucía in Dénia Relaunch the Adolfo Utor Acevedo Poetry Awards

La Fundació Baleària and the Casa de Andalucía in Dénia have announced the 25th edition of the Adolfo Utor Acevedo Poetry Awards in the Marina Alta locality, following a six-year absence. The presentation, held this morning at the Dénia maritime station, featured Adolfo Utor, president of Baleària; Pedro González, president of the Casa de Andalucía in Dénia; Vicent Grimalt, mayor of Dénia; and Marina Sanmartín, cultural technician of the Fundació Baleària.

This competition, returning after a six-year hiatus, aims to promote literary creation and, at the same time, establish this poetry award as a prestigious benchmark while honouring the legacy and memory of Adolfo Utor Acevedo, founder and first president of the Casa de Andalucía in Dénia, who was deeply committed to poetry.

Adolfo Utor, president of Baleària, recalled that one of the main objectives of the Fundació is to enhance and promote culture in the regions where the shipping company operates. "We are very pleased to revive these awards, which are a testament to the firm commitment of the Fundació Baleària to culture, creativity, and shared memory," he stated.

Pedro González, current president of the Casa de Andalucía in Dénia, expressed gratitude to the Fundació Baleària for "this new impetus, which is very important to ensure the association's history is not lost over time." For this reason, the financial endowment, which was €1,000 the last year it was held, has been increased to €5,000 this year in both award categories.

The jury for the Spanish category will include Carlos Marzal, Raquel Lanseros, and José Sarria, while the Valencian category will feature Josep Piera, Marta Nadal, and Enric Sòria, all of whom are professionals of recognised prestige in the literary field. The winning works will be published by leading publishers, and the organisation is committed to promoting the award-winning authors' work at literary events.

The mayor of Dénia, Vicent Grimalt, highlighted the importance of this award for the city due to its new "international dimension," in addition to honouring "a reference in Dénia as a teacher and councillor."

The jury's verdicts will be announced at a gala to be held in the city of Dénia during the week of April 24, 2026, coinciding with the birth date of Adolfo Utor Acevedo; a gala that aims to establish itself as an annual cultural event in Dénia.