Inland Malaga village opens its doors to contemporary Spanish art in the rural world

"If it's not broken, don't fix it." Although this phrase is true, that doesn't mean that whatever is working cannot be optimised to yield greater results. And that is precisely what the second edition of the Contemporary Art Festival of Villanueva del Rosario, Acro, seeks to do. This cultural initiative left a great mark on the municipality in 2024, and this year returns with an important development: it will break the provincial barrier. On 21 and 22 November, the village in northern Malaga province will host numerous artists from different parts of Spain, such as Jaén, Bilbao and Barcelona, who will come together to celebrate art in the rural world.

It is worth remembering that Acro was born spontaneously out of several local projects, such as Rara Residencia and Peligró 19, as well as the Asociación Cultural Escópica organisation. The essence of the festival continues to be marked by contemporary artistic practice and its development in the so-called "rural periphery", which allows a symbiosis to be generated between the local and national scene. It can be said that the festival demonstrates that "professional growth does not depend on an urban location, but on the power of connections", the organisers highlight.

During the launch of the programme at Cervezas Victoria, the co-director of the project, Sara Sarabia, underlined that the key to Acro is "to highlight the value of what we do". She also wanted to emphasise that the point of the festival is to expand the artistic variety on offer at Villanueva del Rosario, integrated within its new tourist brand ADN (Art, Sport and Nature).

Sarabia also revealed some of the new features of this edition, in which national talent will play a leading role. Bilbao, Asturias and Madrid will be some of the places represented by artists who seek to "contribute something more to what is already happening in Villanueva del Rosario". "We have this professional ambition and we believe that Acro, and the connections it generates, also mean that the work of artists and professionals who are in Villanueva will have a bigger outreach," said the coordinator.

In a similar vein, Verónica Ruth Frías, also co-director, recalled that this initiative, which last year was "a leap into the void", has been consolidated as essential for the village. In her words, "it is like doing our bit" to bring contemporary art closer to the local residents, with the aim that more and more people will enjoy it and understand it: "In Villanueva del Rosario many art professionals also pass through, and that is what we want to share with everyone," she said.

Although Acro is held annually, Frías recalled that the behind-the-scenes work continues throughout the year and requires the effort of many people to make it possible. "We are like a power hammer," said the artist from Malaga, who insisted that, if one day the festival can't be held, they would look for new ways to promote rural art: "We are very clear about what we want to do and where we want to go," she concluded.

In addition to the work carried out by Verónica Ruth Frías and Sara Sarabia, as well as Fabián Vroom and Cyro García (coordinators), the institutional support of various organisations should be highlighted. Several of their representatives were present during the event, such as the territorial delegate of Culture and Sport, Carlos García; the Director General of Culture of the Diputación de Málaga, Pedro Bosquet; and the Mayor of Villanueva del Rosario, Ignacio Ramos.

During his speech, the territorial delegate for Culture highlighted the cultural and social value of the project promoted in Villanueva del Rosario. He recalled how he learned about the initiative after meeting the mayor at various events, and stressed that the municipality "has become a cultural benchmark beyond the province, even recognised on a national level". García praised the involvement of the people "throughout the year, from schools to the elderly", and stressed the importance of making contemporary art "an everyday part of rural life".

Along the same lines, Pedro Bosquet insisted that the real merit lies with the creators and coordinators of the project. "The merit is yours, for your vision and for the confidence that you transmit both to the institutions and to the private sponsors." In his opinion, this proposal "is not ephemeral, but a project with real impact, capable of generating community and a sense of belonging through culture", a key factor in the attention that Villanueva del Rosario is garnering, at a national level.

Additionally, the mayor of Villanueva del Rosario, Ignacio Ramos, thanked the institutional support received and highlighted the magnitude of the project. "I am enormously grateful to Pedro and Carlos for collaborating these past two years on this major initiative," he said.

The second edition of Acro will unfold during 21 and 22 November with a full programme that will fill Villanueva del Rosario with contemporary art. The festival will open on the Friday with the exhibition Anatomías del Desasosiego, curated by María Rosa Jurado, and a collective performance by the Colectivo Bacano, a collaboration between students and teachers from the Master's programme at the University of Jaén. The day will also include exhibitions such as the mural Zahorí, Donde Nace un Río by Rocío Rivas and Between Bambalinas by Júlia Barbany from Barcelona, as well as the opening of exhibitions in local spaces such as Peligró19, Rara Residencia, La Ecléctica, Rancho Rata or the Museum of Failure. The night will close with a concert by Nina Raku and a musical party by DJ Danger.

On Saturday, art will once again take to the streets with a professional meeting at the Casa de la Cultura, bringing together figures such as Rosa Pérez, Miguel Ángel Moreno Carretero, Gerardo López López and the Bilbao-born Marian Arana Zubiate. Throughout the day there will be new exhibitions, guided tours and performances such as Fire and Water by Raúl Navas, as well as the opening of local creative spaces.

The programme will finish in the Plaza Nueva del Saucedo, where the final concerts and performances will be held, bringing to an end a weekend devoted entirely to contemporary creation in Villanueva del Rosario.