Valdepeñas City Council has announced the guidelines for the 86th International Exhibition of Plastic Arts in Valdepeñas, the oldest competition in the country that was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts in 2001 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports.
During the presentation of the new edition, the Deputy Mayor of Culture, Vanessa Irla, emphasized the importance of the patronage that has supported this exhibition and has increased once again, incorporating a new patron. This has raised the prize amount to 69,000 euros, including the 15,000 euro Gold Medal.
«We, at the Valdepeñas City Council, want to continue working to establish Valdepeñas as an artistic reference, not only nationally but also internationally,» highlighted Irla, recognizing that «we are aware of the importance that the exhibition has gained over the years, thanks to the different administrations that Valdepeñas has had, establishing itself as the most important in the province and the region, and one of the most significant at an international level.»
Irla reiterated that the purpose of the exhibition is «the dissemination and promotion of art, supporting young artists, and increasing the funds of the municipal art gallery of Valdepeñas, which is the most important contemporary art gallery in Castilla-La Mancha, and one of the most important nationally.»
69,000 euros in prizes
The Deputy Mayor of Culture highlighted the importance of patronage, specifying that there is a prize of 15,000 euros for the Gold Medal of the exhibition, established by the Valdepeñas City Council. In addition, there are 54,000 euros in prizes for the acquisition of artworks, provided under the patronage of the City Council (15,000 euros), the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha (10,000 euros), Félix Solís Avantis (10,000 euros), the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real (7,000 euros), Francisco Delgado Abogados (3,000 euros), Tecnobit-Grupo Oesía (3,000 euros), Fundación GlobalCaja (3,000 euros), and, new in this edition, Moisés Argudo (3,000).
The Provincial Delegate of Education, Culture, and Sports in Ciudad Real, José Caro, noted that Valdepeñas «is crucial when it comes to plastic creation in an era marked by constant transformation, positioning itself at the forefront of change.»
He added that «its role in cultural cohesion, serving the community, embodies the spirit of this call, which, due to its enormous cultural impact, promotes educational access to culture, fosters social and economic development in the locality, and creates opportunities for artists.»
The presentation of the guidelines was also attended by Provincial Deputy Benjamín de Sebastián and Maite Carmona, representing Fundación GlobalCaja.
The 86th International Exhibition of Plastic Arts will accept submissions from June 16 to July 4, where artists can submit a maximum of two works in the categories of sculpture and painting, as outlined in the guidelines. The exhibition will open on Sunday, August 31, as a prelude to the Wine and Harvest Festival, at the Cultural Center ‘La Confianza,’ where the Gold Medal of the exhibition will be awarded.