SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 16 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Tenerife Island Council, through its Youth and Training department, is set to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Merkarte with the Young Talent Festival, scheduled for Friday, September 20, at Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA).
The event was unveiled today during a press briefing led by the Councillor for Youth and Training, Serafín Mesa, alongside the technical manager of the department, Félix Fernández, and artists Elvira Piedra and Marina Valls.
Serafín Mesa stated that this is “a celebration that will highlight two decades of Merkarte’s journey, the landmark initiative that has fostered young art in Tenerife.” “This occasion will be characterised by its emphasis on creativity, entrepreneurship, employability, and the empowerment of youth within the arts, and it is important to note that, thanks to Merkarte and similar initiatives, numerous artists have achieved success in their artistic pursuits,” he asserted.
Félix Fernández added that such events are essential “for raising awareness of the immense talent of countless artists who are given opportunities to advance their work,” while artists Elvira Piedra and Marina Valls expressed their appreciation to the Cabildo and to projects like Merkarte, which “have enabled us to showcase our work,” they remarked.
The Young Talent Festival will commence at 7:30 p.m. with a reception in the TEA square, where attendance will be monitored. Following this, at 8:00 p.m., the official opening of the Festival will occur, highlighting Merkarte’s evolution and impact in nurturing young talent.
A round table discussion is scheduled for 8:15 p.m., moderated by prominent figures in Canarian art and culture, including Pepe Valladares, president of the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Tenerife; Javier Sicilia, vice-dean of Culture and Outreach at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of La Laguna; Beatriz Roca, art curator; Pedro Pinto from the Galería Artizar; and Isidro Hernández, curator and researcher at TEA. During this session, the speakers will engage in a conversation about the role of art in youth employability and entrepreneurship.
The innovative and dynamic presentation ‘Pechakucha Talento Joven’ will start at 8:50 p.m. with the showing of an introductory video. Subsequently, at 9:00 p.m., the first series of presentations by young artists will commence, in which they will share their experiences and journeys using a format of 20 images in 20 seconds. This segment will feature participants such as Irene Morales, Nareme Melián, Elvira Piedra, and Cristóbal Tabares, who will explore topics including nature, Canarian identity, and the representation of women through their work.
At 9:45 p.m., following a brief interval, the second segment of Pechakucha will gather artists such as Vicente López, Víctor Jaubert, Paula Calavera, and Señora Valls, who will convey their perspectives on art and its influence on society.
The event will conclude with the presentation of the ‘Merkarte Ambassadors’ awards to individuals and organisations that have played a significant role in the project’s history. This segment will occur between 10:25 and 10:45 p.m.
