“We must not make culture out of fashion, but make it customary”

In Spain, San Sebastian, Madrid, Santiago and Salamanca have held this title, which opens the possibility of recognizing the intangible character of Andalusia. Something that the president of Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP)defined as the “duende de Jerez”. “In this case, the stone is not rewarded, the signs of identity and enjoyment are valued,” explains García-Pelayo. “There are cities that cannot be visited, they must be experienced”underlines José Luis Sanz. “We are going there as a territory, with the idea of ​​convincing them that the periphery of Europe, the gateway to Africa, can also be the capital of Europe. It is an essence that I wish I could share throughout Spain, but the truth is that ours makes us unique. Culture fascinates us.

There are several signs of Jerez that give it that seal of originality and its own character. Although some share it with the rest of Andalusia. This is the case of flameco, a “pending issue” from previous governments of the Council and which, under the leadership of Patricia del Pozo, saw a law promoted, the Flamenco Congress which is in its third edition and greater weight in the educational centers of the community. An intangible heritage of humanity, flamenco has one of its epicenters in the city of Jerez. Not only because of their names or their songs, but also because of the way they convey it. So much so that this year Jerez celebrates the tenth anniversary of another declaration, that of Zambomba de Jerez and Arcos as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). Today, this inimitable cultural expression of this point in the province of Cádiz constitutes a tourist and commercial attraction of the first order. Something similar happens with the Seville Flamenco Biennial“the best in the world,” emphasizes José Luis Sanz. The impact of flamenco art is such that for the 2026 edition, this Sevillian festival will be presented in new York. In any case, the first mayor of Seville, far from rivalries, is clear: “It is very good for Seville that Jerez is the European capital of culture in 2031”.

“It is also important that we take care of the zambomba in its essence,” emphasizes the mayor of Jerez. In this sense, the Town Hall has imposed that sound systems are not used, that they are performed on the ground and not on stage, and that they have their characteristic candle. “The show is one thing, the zambomba is another,” he defends. “Everyone wants flamenco, it’s a reason for joy moment of emergence in flamenco which we are witnessing,” says Patricia del Pozo.

In this sense, the participants at the table agree on long-term work and dialogue. “The culture must not go out of fashion, but rather make it a custom,” declares the mayor. “No one doubts that after health and education, we must focus on culture and heritage,” insists the councilor.

Culture is a treasure of each territory, but its expansion or recognition must be accompanied by policies that support it. In the case of Jerez, the horizon is clear for the Flamenco Museum of Andalusiafor which the Ministry of Culture hopes to relaunch a call for tenders for the works (stopped since the previous winner abandoned the project when he filed for bankruptcy). Although the city of wine has other standards in this sense, such as the pioneer Flamencologi Chairamong others the Lola Flores Cultural Center.

Comparative offenses

Among illustrious names from Jerez, a Cervantes prize (also linked to flamenco). The Municipal Council is working on organizing the Year Knight Bonaldfor the centenary of the writer’s birth in 2026. One of the files for which he requested the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture, which he directs Ernest Urtasun. In this sense, if we talk about policies aimed at promoting culture, these are based on economic investment. The politicians gathered at the ABC Forum regret the years of drought to which the government of Pedro Sánchez subjected Andalusia and the comparative grievances with other regions such as Catalonia for which the coalition government, underlines José Luis Sanz, made a contribution of 9 billion euros. An example of this is the direct grant of 20 million euros to the cultural capital of Barcelona. Even if Patricia del Pozo illustrates it with an even more specific case: “Why do they give 2 million to the Maestranza and 12 million to the Liceo?he asks. A favoritism in financing, insists García Pelayo, which goes beyond the limits of culture and reaches other areas in which his city is harmed, as in the different contribution for the circuits of Jerez and Montmeló.

The tax advantages provided for by Law 49/2002 for Events of Exceptional Public Interest (AEIP) They constitute another way of supporting culture, since they open up the possibility of benefiting from deductions for priority patronage and for advertising and propaganda expenses for the event. In the case of Andalusia, and with great importance for Seville, it was recognized as the celebration of the centenary of Generation 27. And during the last Sectoral Conference of Culture, Patricia del Pozo requested that Ernest Urtasun also declare the centenary of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, held in the capital of Seville, as AEIP. The Sumar leader confirmed that this would be the case and that he would deal with it through decree along with other proposals. Whether it’s approved or not is another story.

Another general issue that was discussed during the meeting at Casa de ABC and which concerns Seville, Andalusia and the Ministry of Culture, is the expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts. In this sense, the councilor also hopes that Culture will respect the agreement reached last July with the visit of the minister for the next call for tenders for this action, which envisages the incorporation of the Palace of Monsalves and the old public library of Alfonso XII to gain more than 7,500 square meters, in addition to the rehabilitation of the Convent of La Merced itself. The amount of the project will be significantly higher than the 15.5 million which, at the time of Carmen Calvo at Culture, had been committed to an attempt two decades late.

The Seville City Hall, for its part, devotes 55 million euros of its budget to culture. A crucial line of her municipal policy that the mayor of Jerez shares, even if with the obstacle that her municipality continues to be the most indebted in Spain. However, it has a lot of ammunition in its efforts for Jerez to obtain (it will be known in 2027) the title of European Capital of Culture. For example, wine and horses, but also in terms of diversity as a city that welcomes the gypsy people, whose arrival in Spain marks precisely the 600th anniversary this year. and the gastronomyof course, of which Jerez will be the Spanish capital in 2026.

The also president of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) specifies that through this a network of candidate cities for the title of European Capital of Culture will be established, so that the work that each of them carries out to achieve this undertaking is not in vain. Although in Jerez, with the support from the entire province of Cádizthey focus on competing for the biggest prize. “You don’t have to say how good you are, but how good you can be. Capitalism is the way to recognize a territory that is in the south of southern Europe and has so many links with other continents,” he talks about what this recognition would mean for a province with such a high unemployment rate.

José Luis Sanz, for his part, emphasizes that he does not plan to aspire to the title of European Capital of Culture like Jerez, since it already has a vast and exciting program of anniversaries: the commemoration of the fifth centenary of the wedding of Charles V and Isabella of Portugal at the Alcázar (2026), the centenary of the generation of 27 and that of the Ibero-American Exhibition of ’29.