From Laboratorio de Letras we have some news that we’re excited to share: “Camaleón Transparente” is back! And this time it returns bigger, because in 2026 it becomes the Departmental Short Story Contest “Camaleón Transparente” 2026, a celebration of imagination and storytelling that opens its doors to all of Risaralda.
✨ A place to bring imagination to life
There are stories that ask to be told. Stories that are born from an image, a phrase, a memory, or a “what if…?”. This contest is the place to let them loose. We want to read texts that surprise, move, make us laugh, unsettle… that keep swirling around in the head.
To take part in this edition, each participant may submit one short story in Spanish, on any topic, with a length between 800 and 1107 words. The call for submissions will be open from Monday, February 23, 2026 until Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The full contest rules can be consulted here: Contest Rules.
🤔 How to participate?
- Inscripción: Regístrate en el formulario disponible en labdeletras.com/concurso.
- Attach your work: Upload your short story in Word or PDF format.
- Y sobre todo: disfruta el proceso. Deja que tu historia te sorprenda mientras la escribes.
🧑💻 Categories
- Youth category: 14 to 17 years
- Open category: 18 years and up
🏆 Prizes 2026
Youth category (14–17): First place $1,500,000, second place $1,000,000, third place $500,000.
Open category (18+): First place $3,000,000, second place $2,000,000, third place $1,000,000.
🎭 Awards ceremony
The jury’s decision will be announced at the ceremony on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 7:30 p.m., at the Municipal Theater of Belén de Umbría. At the end, we’ll share a small refreshment to celebrate this celebration of literature together.
🚀 Let Risaralda be filled with stories
“Camaleón Transparente” returns to ignite pages, voices, and worlds. If you have a story that keeps insisting from within, this is the moment to shape it and set it free.
See you at Camaleón Transparente 2026!