Carnegies winners to join Gibraltar Literary Festival line-up

The winners of the 2026 Carnegie Medals for Writing and Illustration will attend this year’s Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival as part of a new partnership between Gibraltar Cultural Services and The Carnegies, bringing two of the UK’s most celebrated children’s authors and illustrators to Gibraltar later this year. 

Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, announced the collaboration with the UK children’s book awards programme, which is run by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). 

The partnership aims to strengthen engagement with reading and literature among young people in Gibraltar and has already seen local schools take part in The Carnegies’ Shadowing Scheme, an initiative that enables children and young people to read shortlisted titles, discuss them with their peers and follow the awards process before the winners are announced. 

As part of the collaboration, the winners of the 2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing and the Carnegie Medal for Illustration, Beth O’Brien and Kate Rolfe, will travel to Gibraltar to participate in the literary festival, which runs from November 9 to 15. 

Their visit will include opportunities to meet pupils who have taken part in the shadowing programme and to engage with festival audiences through a series of events celebrating children’s literature, creativity and storytelling. 

Ms O’Brien received the Carnegie Medal for Writing 2026 for Wolf Siren, a reimagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood story featuring a visually impaired protagonist. 

The Carnegie Medal for Writing is awarded by children’s librarians to an outstanding book written in English for children and young people and is regarded as one of the most prestigious honours in children’s literature. 

In addition to securing the main writing award, Ms O’Brien also won the Shadowers’ Choice Award for Writing, which is voted for by children and young people participating in the shadowing scheme. 

Her novel has been recognised for its exploration of disability representation and its fresh interpretation of a well-known fairy tale. 

Ms Rolfe was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2026 for Wiggling Words, a book that explores dyslexia through themes of confidence, creativity and problem-solving. 

The Carnegie Medal for Illustration recognises outstanding illustration in books for children and young people and celebrates the role of visual storytelling in encouraging reading and literacy. 

The partnership between Gibraltar Cultural Services and The Carnegies is expected to provide further opportunities for local pupils to engage directly with award-winning authors and illustrators, while also strengthening links between Gibraltar and one of the UK’s longest-running literary awards programmes. 

Sonia Ramdhian, Chief Development Officer at CILIP, welcomed the collaboration and the opportunity for the award winners to meet young readers in Gibraltar. 

Ms Ramdhian said: “The Carnegies Shadowing scheme offers a unique opportunity for children and young people to engage with outstanding books and experience a national book award from the inside, so we’re excited to have our 2026 Carnegie Medal winners attend the Gibraltar Literary Festival later this year to meet some of the pupils who have been shadowing the awards for the past few months.” 

“Beth O’Brien and Kate Rolfe are two incredibly talented storytellers, and we know they’ll be an inspirational addition to the festival programme.” 

The Minister for Culture and Tourism, Christian Santos, welcomed the partnership and said it reflected the festival’s commitment to encouraging reading and creativity among young people. 

Mr Santos said: “I am thrilled we have partnered with The Carnegies and am looking forward to welcoming Beth and Kate to the Literary Festival in November.” 

“As Minister for Equality also, I am excited to endorse their particular books as they positively represent disabilities.” 

“Encouraging all children to read, write and get involved in literature is part of the ethos of the Festival.” 

“Children are the future in the arts and must be encouraged and supported on their creative journeys.” 

Mr Santos said the participation of both award winners would provide an opportunity for young people in Gibraltar to engage with successful creative professionals whose work promotes inclusion, literacy and imagination. 

Chief Cultural Officer and Festival Director Seamus Byrne represented the ministry at the recent Carnegie Awards ceremony, which was held at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End. 

The ceremony celebrated the achievements of authors and illustrators whose work has been recognised by librarians and young readers across the United Kingdom. 

The Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival has become a key fixture in Gibraltar’s cultural calendar, bringing together writers, historians, journalists and public figures from a wide range of backgrounds. 

Further details of this year’s programme are expected to be announced in the coming months ahead of the festival’s opening in November.