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Fondo Las Luciérnagas

En Under the Volcano creemos que la literatura es una fuerza capaz de iluminar vidas, abrir caminos y transformar mundos. De esa convicción y con el apoyo de Adalberto Ortiz Ávalos, nace Las Luciérnagas, un fondo creado para reconocer el talento literario excepcional y, al mismo tiempo, garantizar que ninguna voz prometedora quede fuera de nuestro programa por falta de recursos económicos. Para UTV, las luciérnagas simbolizan la luz que arroja la escritura. Así como las luciérnagas, los escritores necesitan de nuestro apoyo para que su luz brille cada vez más fuerte.

At Under the Volcano we believe that literature is a force that can illuminate lives, open new paths and transform worlds. That conviction, along with transformational support from Adalberto Ortiz Ávalos, gave rise to Las Luciérnagas, a fund created to recognize exceptional literary talent while also guaranteeing that no promising voice be left out of our program due to lack of financial resources.  For UTV, fireflies symbolize the light that writing casts. And writers, like fireflies, need our support to ensure that their light grows ever more powerful.

¡CONOCE A NUESTRAS LUCIÉRNAGAS! MEET OUR LUCIÉRNAGAS!

Amamos a todos nuestros Volcanistas.  Pero estos escritores son los y las que brillaron más para nuestros jurados por la calidad y originalidad de los textos y para quienes consideramos que asistir a Under the Volcano podría ser una oportunidad determinante en su carrera.  Las Luciérnagas UTV reciben un apoyo completo para asistir a nuestra residencia anual en Tepoztlán, incluyendo colegiatura, hospedaje y traslado. Otros veinte escritores seleccionados reciben apoyo parcial de acuerdo a sus necesidades documentadas.

We love all our Volcanistas. But these writers shone brightest to our juries for the quality and originality of their texts and were also chosen because it was felt that joining Under the Volcano could be a defining opportunity for their career.  UTV Luciérnagas receive full support to attend our annual residency, covering tuition, housing and transportation. An additional twenty accepted writers receive partial financial aid based on their documented need.

These awards are offered only to writers and journalists who work in Spanish.  Please see our fellowships page for support in English.

2026

Giselle Meza

Co-ganadora, Palabras que cuentan
Para un/a escritor/a de literatura testimonial

2025

in their own words

Testimonials

I have never felt so supported to achieve what I want. I “leave” this experience with my heart filled with joy, with my brain like a Christmas tree, full of new ideas, and with a sense that I have finally met my tribe.

María Mínguez

Bay Area/Spain

UTV fue un detonador de ideas y conexiones. Llegué con una idea y volví a casa con la tercera parte de un libro. 

Sylvia Aguilar Zéleny

El Paso, Texas

“When I was feeling overwhelmed at the sheer talent and accomplishments of the faculty, a fellow writing student said to me, “The only difference between them and us is time.”

Martha Morrison

Toronto, Canada

“UTV is more than a learning experience set against a powerful landscape… it offers a mental space for creativity.”

Daniel Escoto

Mexico City

“UTV is the perfect getaway for writers looking to build community, participate in cross-cultural exchange, and find time and space to work on their craft.”

Meryl Branch-McTiernan

New York, USA