Music, dance, theater and circus back in Manresa fair this fall

The 25th edition of Fira Mediterrània in Manresa kicks off this week, with a packed programme of cultural activities in the central Catalan town. The festival will include 71 dance, music, and circus performances by local and international artists, of which 51 will be premieres, between October 6 to 9 in the municipality around an hour north of Barcelona. 

According to the event’s artistic director, Jordi Fosas, this edition focuses on how rooted traditions shape modern artistic creations and explores young artists' fresh takes on cultural heritage. Most of the activities revolve around this concept, starting with the festival’s opening conference hosted by Girona’s Contemporary Art Center director, Ingrid Guardiola, and musician Raül Refree.

A large format show that combines circus and music will also inaugurate the event on October 6 in the town's Plaça Major square. The performance, called 'El Pou de la gallina' ('The Hen Well') by artist Cia Voël, commemorates the 500th anniversary of Saint Ignatius of Loyola's visit and will include an act by Tirallongues de Manresa, a human towers group known for its impressive constructions. The show will be repeated every evening during the festival.

There will be other 'castellers' groups participating in the fair, such as the Minyons of Terrassa and the Castellers de Lleida. “We are breaking stereotypes about tradition and overcoming prejudices, and we are increasingly valuing popular culture,” said cultural associations director, Adelaida Moya.

To learn more about 'castellers' make sure to listen to our Filling the Sink podcast episode. 

The fair will host spaces for singing and dancing that encourage spontaneous participation from the audience, including the new Plaça de la Fira, the Taverna Cervesa Guineu, and the new Hostal Càntut. In addition to these activities, conferences and networking spaces between contemporary creators and Popular Culture Associations will also take place.

The program is varied and multidisciplinary with 71 shows, of which the majority are produced by local artists, one quarter by creators from other parts of Spain, and some internationals involved as well.

Music proposals 

Some of the bands from Catalonia that will be playing at the fair include OMAC Juvenil, ROS, Quico el Cèlio, Noi i el Mut de Ferreries, and Fenya Rai’ Other local artists Antonio Castrignanò, Marala, Júlia Colom and Mélodie Gimard will be presenting a new album. 

For the first time, the fair’s program includes electronic music groups, among them Tarta Relena, Los Sara Fontán, Cocanha, and Ikram Boulum. International artists such as Taiwanese Lin I-Chin, the Quebecois Les Archipels, and OMIRI from Portugal will also take to the stage.

Dance, theater and circus in the program 

For those interested in dance shows, the program features an “unusual” performance by famed Spanish flamenco dancer Israel Galván and the Escolania de Montserrat, as well as other artists such as Adrián Vega, Magí Serra, and unseen pieces from other Catalan dance groups.

The theater and circus itinerary touches on themes of memory, legacy, and oral storytelling, with a line-up featuring the groups África Llorens, Cia Voël, Mos Maiorum and Zum-Zum Teatre, among others.

Linking contemporary art with Catalan traditions

The fair’s end goal is to promote the creation and international promotion of projects linking contemporary art with Catalan traditions and also serve as a base for meetings, new trends and ideas. Since its first edition in 1998, the Fira Mediterrània has been a benchmark event for lovers of traditional and popular shows of Catalonia and the Mediterranean.

Adelaida Moya said the Catalan government contributes €810,000 annually to the Fira Mediterrània, from which €125,000 are destined for new projects of the Obrador d'Arrel and the Plan d'Impuls de la Dansa d'Arrel, projects that aim to boost traditional culture and folkloric dance.