UniversidaddeCádiz

A ten-member team, led by the Mayor of Jerez and made up of cultural managers and professionals of different ages from across the province, will defend Jerez’s bid to become European Capital of Culture on March 10 in Madrid.

With just one week to go before Jerez de la Frontera presents its bid to become European Capital of Culture 2031 on March 10 at the Spanish Ministry of Culture in Madrid, the #Jerez2031 Governing Board held a working session this Tuesday to review preparations and final details for the presentation.

The defence of the candidacy will be led by the Mayor of Jerez, María José García-Pelayo, as the highest representative of the institution promoting the project, Jerez City Council, and will involve a team of ten cultural managers and professionals of different ages from across the province. The meeting agenda also included a media briefing breakfast aimed at explaining the details of the candidacy process and thanking journalists for their essential role in giving visibility to the project.

During the session, the Rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, joined the Mayor of Jerez, María José García-Pelayo, the First Vice-President of the Provincial Council of Cádiz, Juan José Ortiz, and the President of the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, Javier Sánchez, to analyse—together with the Technical Office of the candidacy—the key aspects of the presentation.

In just 30 minutes, the presentation must clearly outline the narrative and strategic priorities of a province-wide cultural bid that strongly promotes culture as a driver of transformation; as a platform for collaboration, participation and co-creation; and as a cornerstone for building a European project that places inclusion, diversity, equal opportunities and sustainability at the centre of its values.

A cultural programme with a strong European dimension

Within this framework, the ten members of the team defending Jerez’s bid for European Capital of Culture 2031 will emphasise the close alignment between the cultural programme and the construction of a Europe based on shared values. They will also highlight the project’s significant international dimension, with active partners across five continents, as well as its role in strengthening training and development opportunities across cultural, educational and heritage sectors throughout the province.

The presentation will underline several key aspects of the bid, including the scope of the more than 30 cultural projects included in the bid book, the proven ability of Jerez to host and organise major international events, and the existence of a clear roadmap supported by solid governance structures.

In this regard, the organisers will stress the role played by the Governing Board and the Technical Office of the candidacy, both established more than a year ago, as well as the importance of citizen participation throughout the entire process. The presentation will also emphasise the determination to ensure that the impact of the proposed initiatives extends well beyond the year in which the title would be held, together with the guarantee of stable long-term funding from the institutions involved.

The defence of the candidacy is designed to respond clearly to the objectives and guidelines established by the European Capital of Culture initiative, addressing key aspects such as the long-term cultural strategy, the artistic and cultural programme, the European dimension, outreach activities, governance and the project’s capacity for delivery.

#Jerez2031 defence team

The team presenting the #Jerez2031 European Capital of Culture bid is made up 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, Strategy Coordinator of #Jerez2031

• Lana Gungic, European Dimension Coordinator of #Jerez2031

• Fredes Insa Mérida, Director of the Fredes Insa School of Dance and Musical Theatre

• Rosario López Monreal, Director of Cultural Action and Project Management at Fundación Montenmedio Contemporánea

• Antonio Mariscal Rodríguez, President of the Social Council of Jerez and the Destination Jerez Tourism Cluster

• Miriam Morales Lara, Managing Director of the Fundación Andrés de Ribera

• Fabián Daniel Sánchez García, President of the National Association Presencia Gitana and leader of the project European Routes of Roma Cultural Heritage

• Ramiro Villapadierna, Cultural Programme Coordinator of #Jerez2031