Young people in Lagos and Loulé are being invited to discover one of Portugal’s most celebrated literary voices through writing and illustration by the municipalities of Lagos and Loulé.
The latest edition of the Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen Literary Competition is open to students in the second and third cycles of basic education and secondary school. Participants are encouraged to explore Sophia’s literary world through two categories: Writing and Illustration.
Entries can be submitted in person at the municipal libraries of Lagos or Loulé, or sent by post, until 6 February 2027, in accordance with the competition rules.
First and second prizes, as well as honourable mentions, will be awarded in both categories. Prizes include gift cards, books and other awards.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place on 17 April 2027 at the Lagos Cultural Centre.
Who was Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen?
Born in Porto in 1919, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen became one of the most important Portuguese writers of the 20th century. A poet, storyteller and essayist, she also wrote extensively for children and young readers.
Her writing is deeply connected to the natural world, particularly the sea, light, landscape and the relationship between human beings and nature. These themes give her work a particular resonance in the Algarve, where the Atlantic and Mediterranean landscape provides a fitting setting for younger generations to encounter her words.
Sophia was also an important civic voice. She opposed Portugal’s Estado Novo dictatorship and, following the Carnation Revolution of 1974, served as a member of the Constituent Assembly. Her poetry frequently explored ideas of freedom, justice, truth and human dignity.
Among her best-known works for younger readers are A Menina do Mar (The Sea Girl), O Cavaleiro da Dinamarca (The Knight of Denmark), A Fada Oriana (Oriana the Fairy) and A Floresta (The Forest).
In 1999, she became the first Portuguese woman to receive the Camões Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the Portuguese-speaking world. She died in Lisbon in 2004, and in 2014 her remains were transferred to the National Pantheon.
Through this competition, a new generation is invited not simply to read Sophia, but to respond to her world creatively, transforming words into new stories and ideas into images.
Full competition rules and participation details can be found here.
Let your creativity take flight and discover Sophia through words and pictures.
