The Consell de Ibiza has presented the 2026 Premis Vuit d’Agost, with this year’s edition marking an important change: for the first time, the prestigious awards have been opened to creators from across the Balearic Islands.

The awards were presented on Monday at an event presided over by Consell president Vicent Marí and Councillor for Culture, Education and Heritage Sara Ramon.

The decision to broaden participation is intended to give the awards greater visibility while creating new connections between artists and creators from Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca.

A New Chapter for the Vuit d’Agost Awards

The Premis Vuit d’Agost were created in Ibiza to encourage and recognise artistic and cultural creation connected to the island.

Over the years, the awards have become an established part of Ibiza's cultural calendar, recognising work across disciplines including painting, ceramics, photography, graphic design and music.

Previous editions were primarily focused on creators born in Ibiza or living on the island. The 2026 edition represents a significant expansion, allowing artists from the wider Balearic Islands to compete.

For the Consell, the change is an opportunity to give the awards greater reach while maintaining their connection to Ibiza.

The 2026 Winners

The first awards under the expanded format have already brought together talent from several of the Balearic Islands.

Painting

Enric Servera Carreras from Menorca won the painting category for his work “Talud de poniente.”

Ceramics

The award for artesanía del barro went to Ana Uceda Pérez from Mallorca for “Geología de la identidad.”

Photography

Francisco Javier Mas Ferrà received the photography award for “Tierra de pinos, agua con polen.”

Graphic Design

The graphic design prize went to Sonia Griñó López for “El sonido de las palabras.”

Music

Music was represented by two winners.

Roxana Mouriño Espiñeira from Formentera received the award for “Brisa de Ibiza,” while Adolfo Villalonga Juan was recognised for “Lagartijas versus serpientes.”

The list of winners reflects the wider geographical reach of the awards, with creators from Menorca, Mallorca and Formentera joining Ibiza's cultural conversation.

Connecting the Islands Through Culture

During the ceremony, Vicent Marí highlighted the role of the awards as a stimulus for artistic creation.

He said that culture remains alive when societies are able to preserve what previous generations have passed down while also allowing new generations to reinterpret it and find new forms of expression.

Marí also highlighted the decision to open the awards to creators from across the Balearics as a way of building new bridges between artists from the different islands.

At the same time, the expansion gives the Premis Vuit d’Agost an opportunity to reach a wider audience beyond Ibiza.

A Longstanding Ibiza Cultural Tradition

The awards have a history stretching back decades.

The Premi Vuit d’Agost d’Investigació, for example, was established in 1997 to encourage research into Ibiza's history and later expanded to cover different fields of research. Other categories were subsequently introduced, including painting, ceramics, photography and graphic design.

The awards have therefore evolved alongside Ibiza's cultural scene.

In 2024, for example, the Consell presented prizes covering the 2023 and 2024 editions, with winners recognised for work ranging from painting and ceramics to photography, graphic design and music.

From Ibiza to the Balearics

The 2026 edition represents a new direction for a competition that began with a very local purpose.

By opening the Premis Vuit d’Agost to creators from Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera as well as Ibiza, the Consell is positioning the awards as a broader platform for Balearic artistic talent.

But the Ibiza connection remains at the heart of the awards.

The name itself refers to 8 August, one of the most important dates in Ibiza's traditional calendar, linking the cultural awards to the island's identity and heritage.

For Ibiza, the expansion means its cultural institutions are increasingly using the island as a meeting point for creative talent from across the Balearics.

And for artists from the neighbouring islands, it creates a new opportunity to have their work recognised through an award with an established Ibiza identity.