Illustrator Carme Solé Vendrell to give 2024 La Mercè festivities opening speech

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni unveiled on Friday the guest who will deliver the opening speech for this year's La Mercè festivities.

Catalan illustrator Carme Solé Vendrell will give the opening address for the 'festa major' of the Catalan capital, which takes place from September 20 to 24.

"There is no great Mercè without a great opening speaker," Collboni said.

Solé is an illustrator, painter, and sculptor who has illustrated more than 900 titles and held solo exhibitions in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Taipei, and other cities.

She is also known for her designs of posters, album covers and interiors, stage sets, and costumes for theater.

The La Mercè 2024 poster has been created by the Barcelona-based production company CANADA, which has worked with pop stars like Rosalía, Dua Lipa, C Tangana, and Katy Perry. 

The poster and promotional video, unveiled today, aim to present La Mercè from the perspective of "someone seeing it for the first time" through the eyes of a child. 

"The child, instead of being excited, finds relaxation in the hustle and bustle, the noise, the lights, and the traditional dancing giants, which reflects the festive spirit of Barcelona," CANADA said. 

To learn more about this world-renowned production company from Barcelona, check out this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink. 

Casablanca in the spotlight 

This year, La Mercè will feature the Moroccan city of Casablanca as its guest city. 

The festivities will include a special program highlighting Moroccan culture, showcasing music, dance, circus, and visual arts from the African country. 

The events will feature art created in Morocco as well as works by Moroccan artists living in Barcelona. 

Casablanca is one of Morocco's major cities and a creative hub where young and emerging talent thrives, with a particular focus on urban music.