This morning in Madrid, before an international panel of experts, Jerez presented the key elements, objectives, and unique aspects of its candidacy to become European Capital of Culture in 2031. The ten members of the defense team, led by the city’s mayor, María José García-Pelayo, presented the most revealing and substantial aspects of the provincial bid in a half-hour dialogue. The bid views culture as an engine of transformation and opportunity and, from the south, calls for a reconnection of society, especially young people, with European values during these times of crisis.
Following this initial thirty-minute presentation, the panel of experts held an hour-long dialogue with the defense team to learn more details about the contribution of the long-term strategy, the cultural and artistic program, the European dimension, dissemination, project management and governance, and delivery capacity.
During the presentation, which took place entirely in English in the Velázquez Room at the Ministry of Culture’s headquarters in Madrid, the members of the bid team highlighted the scope of the more than 30 cultural projects included in the bid book, the proven capacity of the city of Jerez to promote and organize major events with international impact, the availability of a roadmap and robust governance structure activated with the creation and launch over a year ago of the Governing Council and the Technical Office for the bid, the common denominator of participation as a central axis throughout the entire process, the determination to ensure that the impact of the planned actions projects its legacy beyond the year of the title celebration, and the guarantee of stable, future funding from all the institutions involved.
With the registration of the bid book last December and its presentation today in Madrid, Jerez’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture continues to advance in a process that, after months of intense work, activity, and citizen participation, has already yielded significant results. These results include providing the province’s cultural, educational, social, and heritage sectors with new tools and resources such as the revised Strategic Cultural and Creative Plan for the city, the Study of Cultural Habits and Practices document, and the electronic map of cultural facilities and infrastructure. This set of new resources is available on the candidacy website in three versions: Spanish, English, and Romani.
The defense team for #Jerez2031 European Capital of Culture is comprised of:
- • María José García-Pelayo Jurado, Mayor of Jerez de la Frontera
- • Antonio de la Torre Palacios “Layto”, young rapper and cultural content creator
- • Antonio González Rueda, Head of Strategy for #Jerez2031
- • Lana Gungic, Head of European Dimension for #Jerez2031
- • Fredes Insa Mérida, Director of the Fredes Insa School of Dance and Musical Comed
- • Rosario López Monreal, Director of Cultural Action and Project Management at the Montenmedio Contemporary Foundation
- • Antonio Mariscal Rodríguez, President of the Jerez Social Council and the Jerez Destination Tourism Cluster
- • Miriam Morales Lara, Managing Director of the Andrés de Ribera Foundation
- • Fabián Daniel Sánchez García, President of the National Association of Gypsy Presence and leader of the “European Routes of Gypsy Cultural Heritage” project
- • Ramiro Villapadierna, head of the cultural program of #Jerez2031