Taobuk Gala 2026

Taobuk Award, at the Ancient Theatre of Taormina
The Taobuk Award Gala Evening brings together, in one of the most extraordinary settings in the Mediterranean, the voices that are redefining contemporary literature, art, and thought.
Among the winners of the 16th edition of Taobuk are Haruki Murakami, the world’s most widely read Japanese novelist; the British writer Jonathan Coe; Dacia Maraini; Donato Carrisi; the Syrian poet Adonis; the sculptor Anish Kapoor; and the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah.
The format, conceived by Antonella Ferrara, weaves together literary dialogues, artistic performances, and live music with the Symphony Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, conducted by Vitali Alekseenok. The evening is hosted by Antonella Ferrara and Massimiliano Ossini.
The event is directed by Cristiano d’Alisera, with texts by Valerio Callieri, Michele De Mieri, and Alessandra Ferrari, and cinematography by Marco Lucarelli. The gala coordination is overseen by Valerio Crescentini, with Andrea Gatti as stage director.
The evening will be broadcast on delayed transmission on RAI 1.