“Registration is now open for the Contest of Cante from the Lo Ferro Festival

until May 23

RULES 2026

1.- The festival will be held in this town on the 20st as of July 26, 2026.

2.- In order to participate in the Competition, all singers who wish to do so must send a recording or be endorsed by a peña flamencaThe artist must provide a certificate justifying their quality. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to participate.

3.-The deadline of registration It will end on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 24:00h. Subsequent applications will not be accepted.

4.- The Organizing Committee will summon the selected singers to carry out the selection tests before an audience and jury. every Saturday in June and the first week of July 2026.

5.- The participants orThey will necessarily perform three cantes (including Ferreña for those who wish) to choose from each of the five groups detailed below, both in the preliminary rounds and in the semi-finals and final.

If a flamenco singer is unable to attend the corresponding audition due to serious and justifiable circumstances, they must contact the Organizing Committee three days in advance so that a substitute can be appointed. If they neither attend nor contact the Committee beforehand, they must submit a justification within seven business days.CANTE of their absence. If they do not present it, the Organizing Committee reserves the right to NOT ADMIT said singer to future editions.

Tests can be done in different locations in order to spread the word. flamenco.

6.- Diets: A daily allowance of €150 will be paid to singers whose residence is outside the Region of Murcia. A fuel allowance of €30 will be paid to singers whose distance from Lo Ferro exceeds 450 km.

7.- Prizes. A maximum of 8 singers will be selected for the two semi-finals, of which only 5 will qualify for the Final. All prizes will be subject to applicable tax withholding and are distributed as follows:

 *Special Award for the Most Complete Flamenco Singer of the different groups of cante established in the terms and conditions and consists of:

• “Sebastian Escudero” Plaque of Honor.

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• “GOLDEN MELON” Trophy, created by sculptor Maite Defruc.

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• €17.000 donated by the Peña Flamenca "Golden Melon" and collaborating entities, which will be awarded as follows:​​ €8.000 at the end of the Festival and the other €9.000 in nine galas that the Commission organizes on the dates and places that are deemed appropriate.

 *Special "Fosforito" Award for Best Sung La Ferreña. Cante of the emblematic ferreña or with different lyrics that can be of your own creation, that deals with Lo Ferro and its region or a free theme, with the same musical base of the ferreña of Fosforito and corresponding meter. You can find information about La Ferreña on the Festival's website.

This award consists of:

• “MOLINO DE LO FERRO” Trophy, created by the sculptor Maite Defruc.

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• €6.000 donated by the Peña Flamenca "Golden Melon" and collaborating entities, which will be awarded as follows:​​ €3.000 at the end of the festival and another €3.000 to be paid in three Galas in which the winner of the Prize will promote the cante of the ferreña. The commission will organize these galas on the dates and places it deems appropriate.

 *3 First Prizes of €2.500 each, donated by the Peña Flamenca "Golden Melon" and collaborating entities.

€1.500 will be awarded at the end of the Festival and the other €1.000 at a Gala organized by the Commission on a date and place it deems appropriate.

 * 3 Runner-up prizes of €1.000 which will be obtained by the three semi-finalists not qualified for the Final Test.

8.- Groups of Cantes: They may correspond to the different groups of cante following:

a)   Cante Special: Ferreña.

b) First Group (CanteBasics): Siguiriyas, Soleás, Cabales, Serranas, Livianas, Tonás, Martinetes, Deblas, Cañas and Polos.

c) Second Group (Cantes from Levante): Tarantas, Cartageneras, Tarantos, Mineras, Levanticas, Murcianas and Sanantoneras.

d) Third Group (Cantes of Rhythm): Tientos, Tangos, Alegrías, Romeras, Mirabrás, Alboreas, Bulerías, Caracoles, Cantiñas and Cantes of the Rose.

e) Fourth Group (Cantes from the Fandango): Malagueñas, Javeras, Verdiales, Rondeñas, Fandangos of personal creation, Granaínas and Granaína y Media, Fandangos from Huelva and Lucena.

f) Fifth Group (Cantes flamenco): Peteneras, Farrucas, Garrotín, Bamberas, Campanilleros, Cantes of Trilla, Milongas, Colombians, Vidalitas and Guajiras.

 9.- It is of particular interest that the singers contribute new lyrics to their canteThe Jury will take them into careful consideration and will award them higher scores than the usual or more well-known lyrics. If the Jury deems the interpretation of any participant to be of insufficient quality or insufficient adherence to the Rules, the corresponding Prize may be declared void. If in a specific group of canteIf no finalist participates, the Prize may be awarded to another group of cantes.

10.- No singer will be allowed to perform the ferreña in the final if they did not perform it in the previous rounds.

11.- The Semifinals the Thursday 23 y Friday July 24 y la Final It will be held Saturday July 25th 2026.

12.- The singers will have several guitarists hired by the Organizing Committee at their disposal. However, any contestant may bring their own guitarist, in which case they will be responsible for the corresponding expenses.

13.- Finalists are advised to canteThe routines performed in the Semifinal should not be repeated in the Final.

14.- For the work of promoting and disseminating the canteThe singers who win first prize in any category will have the opportunity, at the discretion of the Organizing Committee, to make a recording, the rights to which will remain the property of the Peña "Golden Melon." If the artist requests copies, these will be provided at cost price.

15.- All singers who qualify for the Semifinals and Finals will receive a Diploma from the Committee and will be entitled to participate in future editions of the Competition without having to submit audiovisual proof or endorsement. peña flamenca to complete your registration. 

16.- Participation in this Contest Cante of the International Festival of Cante Flamenco Participation in Lo Ferro implies full acceptance of these Terms and Conditions as well as the decision of the Jury, which will be final.

The Organizing Committee.

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