19-October-2023.- More than 350 participants attend in Valladolid the IX Culture and Citizenship Meeting, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sport. Under the title ‘Contexts/ Asymmetries. Culture and creation in medium and small cities’, reflect on the ecosystems, creation and cultural policies of these enclaves, taking into account their evolution in recent decades and their present situation.
The Meeting, which includes more than 70 projects and cultural agents from all the autonomous communities, was attended by the General Director of Cultural Industries, Intellectual Property and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, Carmen Páez; and the Councilor for Education and Culture of the City of Valladolid, Irene Carvajal.
The Asturian singer Nacho Vegas, the Pontevedresa architect Teresa Táboas, the Zamoran writer Jorge Dioni López -author of the award-winning ‘The Spain of swimming pools’- and the Riojan sociologist Sergio Andrés Cabello participated in the introductory session, where the social, demographic and urban evolution of intermediate cities in the global economy was analyzed.
The IX Meeting, which is included in the framework of cultural activities that accompanies the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, proposes how medium and small cities can be favourable scenarios for the establishment of unexpected initiatives and alliances, of greater cross-cutting nature, in contrast to the high degree of specialization of the large metropolitan cultural centres. Representatives of European and international networks such as the European Network of Cultural Centres, Trans Europe Halls, Green Art Lab Alliance or the Network of Cultural Centres of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, analyze the structuring and multiplier importance of networks for the exchange of knowledge, programming, views and experiences.
The program includes dozens of projects and cultural spaces, including the publishing house Pepitas de Calabaza in Logroño, the Espacio Tangente in Burgos, the Centro de Arte La Panera in Lleida, the TEA in Tenerife, the Iwa Fest in Melilla, the Fundación Díaz-Caneja in Palencia, Fluent in Santander or the Carballo Interplay Festival. In addition, there are also proposals from Italy, Portugal and Argentina.
Another axis of the program, focused on the potential transformative role of youth and emerging creators, as social and cultural agents, has the participation of the poet and National Youth Prize 2023, Mario Obrero, the philosopher Eudald Espluga, spokespeople of the Youth Council of Spain and groups of young artists.
The debates and presentations were accompanied by workshops on speculative urbanism, cultural projects from an eco-feminist perspective, an exhibition space for projects, designed by the Vallisolean studio Monta, and tours such as the one organized by the Entreso Foundation.
During the day today, the Encuentro is being the setting for the recording of the podcast ‘Cultura con acento’ by La Casa Quemdida in Madrid, dedicated to exploring the Spanish territory in search of cultural projects promoted by young people. In addition, other initiatives such as La Madraza of the University of Granada or the Atalaya Cultural Observatory of the University of Cadiz will make visible the role of universities as fundamental agents in the cultural ecosystem of these cities.
The meeting, which can be followed live at the Arts Laboratory of Valladolid and through the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Culture and Sport and the virtual platform https://espaciovirtual.culturayciudadania.es/streaming/, will culminate with the artistic multi-action ‘Dance Pesticide’ with concerts, performances and music sessions.