The Mayor of Jerez, Maria Jose Garcia-Pelayo, presented this Thursday at the Atalaya Museums the roadmap of Jerez Cultural City, an initiative that marks the beginning of a new stage for the city and that continues after the candidacy process to European Capital of Culture 2031with the aim of consolidating and developing all the cultural, social and institutional capital generated during these years.
In front of representatives from the cultural sector, social entities, economic agents and institutions, the mayor presented the continuation of the cultural project that Jerez took to Europe, starting a new stage for the transformation of the project built during the candidacy into concrete actions.
The event was attended by the first vice president of the Provincial Council of Cádiz, Juancho Ortiz; the rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimir Mantell; the president of the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, Javier Sánchez Rojas; the Director General of Equality and Local Policies of the FEMP, Cristina Montalvá; and the local secretary of the Workers' Commissions, Patricio Pérez PachecoThey have all shared their vision on the role of culture as a tool for development, cohesion and the future.
During her speech, María José García-Pelayo pointed out that “from the very beginning, we were very clear that the most important thing was everything we had built together. The candidacy allowed us to mobilize the city, listen to hundreds of people, and generate ideas, projects, and alliances that have intrinsic value. That is why we are here today, because important projects don't end when a verdict is reached. They begin to take real shape when there is the will to make them a reality.”
The mayor explained that this new phase involves moving “from enthusiasm to implementation,” through a rigorous work methodology that will guarantee the technical and economic viability of the proposed initiatives. In this regard, she announced a project evaluation and prioritization process to identify those projects that are most promising. proposals with greater capacity to generate opportunities, strengthen the cultural fabric, improve neighborhoods and contribute to the social and economic development of the cityIn this regard, he recalled that “culture is a tool for social transformation. We want it to reach every corner of Jerez, to be present in education, youth, equality and social cohesion, and for our historical and artistic heritage to continue being an engine of opportunity for all citizens,” he stated.
The roadmap for 'Jerez Cultural City' is based on the foundations established in the Jerez 2031 bid book and its major strategic axes, which will serve as a reference for promoting new cultural projects in the coming years. Among the first initiatives that have already emerged directly from the legacy of the bid, the following stand out: Jerez Fusion, a festival conceived as a meeting place between tradition and contemporaneity, local talent and external projection.
The mayor also emphasized that the City Council will continue working closely with the institutions that have supported the project from its inception. In this regard, she reiterated the collaboration with the Provincial Council of Cádiz, the University of Cádiz, and the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, as well as strengthening cooperation with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and various international organizations and institutions, with the aim of further establishing Jerez as a cultural benchmark and realizing the shared vision the city developed during its bid.
For his part, the first vice president of the Provincial Council of Cádiz, Juancho OrtizHe pointed out that "the Provincial Council has always considered Jerez 2031 to be a project to promote and highlight the tangible and intangible heritage of the entire province. This new project is an opportunity for the future in which collaboration between institutions must be the foundation for achieving the proposed objectives. Cádiz is culture twelve months a year, and Jerez Cultural City represents a new opportunity to boost a sector that generates quality tourism and stimulates the local and provincial economy."
"Culture is a tool for social transformation. We want it to reach every corner of Jerez, to be present in education, youth, equality and social cohesion, and for our historical and artistic heritage to continue being an engine of opportunity for all citizens" (María José García-Pelayo)
The president of the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, Javier Sánchez RojasSánchez Rojas emphasized that "Jerez 2031 has maintained a strategic continuity despite the change in government" and thanked the mayor for her commitment to seeing it through to the end. Thanks to this, the province now views Jerez with new eyes in the cultural sphere. Sánchez Rojas highlighted that "many people who were previously hidden within the city's everyday cultural scene responded to this initiative, and this deserves recognition."
Now, the president of the Chamber of Commerce advocates for consolidating a future project because "we have the plans and now we have to build this project by persevering until we reach the goal."
For his part, the rector of the University of Cádiz, Casimiro Mantell, stated that Jerez's 2031 bid was "a dream we mustn't wake up from because it's a project that will remain connected to society as Jerez becomes a Cultural City. It has allowed us to work hand in hand with the other administrations, and we must continue to contribute ideas and promote the entire cultural offering, cultivating it to ensure its future."
For his part, Patricio Pérez-Pacheco argued that "general culture is a source of wealth and an important gateway to job creation." Therefore, he believes that "we must create a strong business network, and this project should open that door to working towards quality employment, diversification, and ensuring that everything stays in Jerez."
The head of the largest union in the city has highlighted that "Jerez is in fashion because it is growing with high-level cultural projects such as the twinning with Victoria, in Malta, which will be a European Capital of Culture City.
Finally, Cristina Montalvá emphasized that "Jerez has already won because the success of a project must be measured by the enthusiasm and mobilization it generates, and you have already demonstrated that with the Jerez 2031 bid and now with Jerez as a Cultural City. Jerez has managed to position itself and is not the same as it was a year ago." She concluded by noting that "the FEMP (Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces) has created a Network of Cultural Cities, which was spearheaded by Jerez, and which already has 25 members and up to 70 interested parties."
The event featured a stellar performance by the acting team of Jerez Studio Theater and has showcased the city's creative talent thanks to the participation of Lucía Soto de Rueda, Juan Diego Mateos Trio and Jerez Municipal Band, which has premiered the Anthem of Culture, an original work composed by its director, Luis Alfonso Román Cárdenas; St. Anthony Jazz Trio, the students of the Jerez Dance Academy, María Martínez, Kristina, María Plata, Valentín Agrela and Antonio Morales, as well as members of the Eslava Painters Association.
