INTERNATIONAL “GYPSY FRIEND” ARTS COMPETITION 2026 Poetry – Short Stories – Theatre – Photography – Drawing – Painting – Sculpture – Music – Essays – Video – Documentary – Film. Published and unpublished works. Special prizes for schools and pupils. RULES 1. Anyone may enter this competition, without discrimination. Entries are accepted in Romani, English, French, Italian and Spanish. 2. Entries must be sent in a single parcel, as indicated for each section, no later than 31 May 2026 to: Santino Spinelli President, Thèm Romanó Association Via S. Maria Maggiore 12 66034 Lanciano (CH) – Italy or by e-mail to: spithrom@webzone.it 3. The members of the international Panel of Judges will be announced during the Prize-Giving Ceremony, which will take place on 9 October 2026 at Teatro Mazzini in Lanciano. The Panel’s decisions are final. 4. The Panel’s decisions and the names of winners and award recipients will be published on the official competition website and Facebook page. 5. Authors submitting previously unpublished works grant the organisers permission to include them, free of charge, in a possible multilingual anthology. 6. The competition is open to all public and private schools and their pupils. Each work must clearly state the pupils’ names, class, school, city and the name of the teacher or teachers supporting the initiative. 7. Contributors may enter multiple sections and categories and may submit more than one work in the same category. 8. Entries not related to the specified theme will be disqualified. 9. Prizes must be collected in person or by an authorised representative. 10. The competition is divided into the following sections and categories. UNPUBLISHED WRITING Entries in Categories A, B and C must be submitted in six typewritten copies. Entries in Categories D, E and F must be submitted in one copy. One copy must include the author’s name, address, nationality, telephone number, curriculum vitae, photograph and signature. Category A: Poetry in Standard Romani or in any Romani dialect. Free theme. Up to three poems, no longer than 50 lines each. Each poem must be accompanied by a translation into English, French, Italian or Spanish, specifying the dialect used. Category B: Poetry in English, French, Italian or Spanish on any aspect of the Roma world: an historical event, a well-known or lesser-known person, an experience or testimony. Up to three poems, no longer than 50 lines each. Category C: A short story in Romani, English, French, Italian or Spanish, no longer than two typewritten pages of 1,800 characters each. The theme must concern the Roma world. Works in Romani must be accompanied by a translation into one of the other accepted languages. Category D: An unpublished theatrical work concerning the Roma world, without length limits. The winning work may be staged during the 33rd edition of “Amico Rom”. Category E: An unpublished short story or novel concerning the Roma world, without length limits. Category F: A monograph or graduation thesis on an aspect of the Roma world, such as history, language, traditions or music. VISUAL ARTS Photographs, paintings, drawings and sculptures of any genre, style or technique are accepted, provided they have a title and depict an aspect of Roma life, a Roma person or a characteristic activity. Category G: Unpublished drawings, up to three works, individual or collective, maximum size 100 × 70 cm. Category H: Unpublished photographs, up to five works, in colour or black and white, in the formats 20 × 30 cm or 30 × 45 cm. Category I: Paintings or sculptures, which may also be submitted through photographs, accompanied by a brief description of title, technique, style, materials and dimensions. PUBLISHED WORKS Works published from 1986 onwards in one of the accepted languages and concerning the Roma world may be entered. Category L: A poetry collection in Romani or another accepted language, containing at least two poems inspired by the Roma world. Category M: A short story or novel concerning the Roma world. Category N: A theatrical work, including at least one act or scene inspired by the Roma world. Category O: A monograph or graduation thesis concerning the Roma world. Category P: Roma music or music inspired by the Roma world, submitted as recordings or sheet music. Winners may be invited to perform during an international Roma music festival linked to the award ceremony. Category Q: Videos, films and documentaries concerning the Roma world. The best works may be screened during the 2026 edition of “Amico Rom”. PRIZES First-place winners in each category will receive a personalised trophy or Diploma of Honour. An overall winner will be selected from among the category winners. Second- and third-place winners will receive personalised trophies, prizes or Diplomas of Honour. Special prizes include: Special Schools Prize; Career Awards; Phralipé Prize 2026; Roma Excellence Prize 2026. ENTRY IS FREE FOR ALL CATEGORIES. Winners will be promoted through television, the press and specialist national and international publications. To help the international judging panel, please do not wait until the last moment to send your entries.
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Testo web revisionato e aggiornato con la data della premiazione del 9 ottobre 2026.