Jerez aims to continue its international leadership in spaces for reflection on culture and creativity. For this reason, the city will host the Creative Cities Congress from November 11 to 13. This event, framed within the candidacy European Capital of Culture 2031 and organized by the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, will provide a forum for national and international experts to discuss the transformative potential of culture and citizen innovation in the contemporary urban context.
Thus, the Congress’s program of events stems from the Jerez City Council’s Strategic Grants Plan, aiming to bring together professionals from diverse fields to offer a critical analysis of the concept of creative cities and contribute their proposals to the cultural, training, and sustainability program of #Jerez2031.
The Creative Cities Congress will feature national and international speakers and will be held over three days, with a program structured into different blocks and themes. The opening address will be given by Jesús Prieto de Pedro, a leading figure in cultural rights, Professor of Administrative Law at the UNED (National University of Distance Education), and holder of the Andrés Bello Chair of Cultural Rights.
Among the speakers, the presence of Spanish architect Santiago Cirugeda (an international leader in social architecture) is also noteworthy, as is that of British professor, curator, and specialist in civic dramaturgy, Chris Baldwin, who has served as artistic director for various bids for European Capital of Culture, such as Wroclaw 2016 (Poland) and Galway 2020 (Ireland), and has been responsible for major cultural events for Eleusis 2023 (Greece) and Kaunas 2022 (Lithuania).
The Creative Cities Congress is aimed at professionals in culture, urban planning, and social innovation; institutional technicians and representatives; citizen groups; students and local stakeholders; artists; architects; educators; and urban creators. Admission is free with prior registration at: https://www.enterticket.es/eventos/congreso-de-ciudades-creativas-2025-628144