In Lugagnano di Sona, culture takes center stage with **”Spazio alle Parole,”** a new initiative promoted by **La GrandeMela ShoppingLand.** The project aims to transform the shopping center into a meeting point for creativity and storytelling, actively engaging the Verona area, just a short distance from **Lake Garda.** A central element of the initiative will be the literary contest **”Prima Penna,”** designed to give voice to young students from the province. The official inauguration will take place with a press conference on Tuesday, September 9, at 11 AM.
### A Calendar of Events for Everyone
Throughout September, the shopping center’s gallery will come alive on weekends with a diverse program. Creative English workshops, curated by Inlingua Verona and Mater Academy, are planned, along with a meeting dedicated to the world of illustration featuring cartoonist Alberto Corradi. Writing and poetry will be at the heart of the workshop **”Storie al Volo”** with Giulia Giarola, as well as a stop of the **“Poetry Slam”** organized by Catarsi Poetry, which will qualify for the national final. For families, the offerings include **“Storytime”** by Kids&Us Verona Borgo Milano, **”Animated Readings”** by In Giro Leggendo, the theater performance **”La Cantastorie”** by Febo Teatro APS, and **”Danced Fairy Tales”** by Dance Lab.22. Giunti al Punto, a partner of the event, will host meetings with authors such as Vito Franchini, Fabio Lonardi, and Matteo Bussola and will manage a book collection for the solidarity campaign **“Help Us Grow. Gift Us a Book.”** Marco Cingottini, Director of the center, emphasizes the project’s vision: “For us at La GrandeMela, it’s not just about hosting events, but about building authentic relationships with the community. **”Spazio alle Parole”** symbolizes this vision: a place where culture, education, and creativity meet, with a particular focus on the new generations.”
### The Literary Contest “Prima Penna”
The centerpiece of the project is **”Prima Penna,”** a free literary initiative aimed at students from middle and high schools in the province of Verona. Young participants will be invited to write short stories, ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 characters, on a theme of their choice, to stimulate their expression and critical thinking skills. “With **Prima Penna,** we want to provide students with an opportunity to discover the power of writing and help them understand that every word has the potential to build the future,” says Director Cingottini.
### The Jury and Awards for Schools
The submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts chaired by Alessio Cuffaro, a teacher at Scuola Holden, author, and editor. He will be joined by notable figures from the literary world, including Francesca Gentile, founder of the magazine biró; journalist Vito Cioce; author Giulio Natali; and author and creative writing teacher Giulia Giarola. The most deserving works will receive certificates and contributions in educational materials, valued between 200 and 500 euros, to be allocated to the classes of the winning students.
### Participation Methods and Deadlines
Registrations for the **”Prima Penna”** contest will be open from October 1 to October 31 on the official website of the initiative. Students will have until November 30, 2025, to submit their stories. The final ceremony, with the delivery of certificates and prizes to the classes, will take place in spring 2026 at the La GrandeMela ShoppingLand gallery.
Italian Version
