Inland Malaga village welcomes contemporary Spanish art to the rural world

Friday, November 7, 2025, at 17:07

“If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it.” This phrase is correct, but it does not mean that what works cannot be optimized to produce greater results. The second edition of Villanueva del Rosario’s Contemporary Art Festival, Acro, aims to achieve this. The cultural initiative that was launched in 2024 left a lasting impression on the community, and it is returning this year with a new development: It will be breaking 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 festival’s essence is still shaped by the development of contemporary art in the “rural peripheral”, which creates a synergy between local and national scenes. Organisers highlight that the festival shows “that professional growth is not dependent on an urban setting, but the power of connection”.

Sara Sarabia said, during the launch of Acro’s programme at Cervezas Victoria, that the key is to “underline the importance of what we are doing”. She wanted to stress that the purpose of the festival, which is integrated into the new tourist brand ADN, is to broaden the range of artistic expressions available in Villanueva.

Sarabia has also announced some of the new features for this edition in which local talent will play an important role. Bilbao will be represented by artists from Asturias, Madrid and Bilbao who want to “contribute more to the already existing events in Villanueva del Rosario”. The coordinator said, “We have this ambition professionally and we think that Acro and the connections that it generates will also allow the work of the artists and professionals in Villanueva to have a wider outreach.”

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. She said that “it’s like doing our part” to bring the contemporary art to the local residents in order to make it more accessible and enjoyable for them.

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’re like a power tool,” said the Malaga artist, who insisted they would find new ways to promote rural arts if the festival was ever cancelled.

Support for Institutions

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.

The territorial delegate to Culture, during his speech highlighted the cultural value and social importance of the project in Villanueva. He spoke of how he first learned about the project after meeting the Mayor at different events. He also noted that the municipality has “become a cultural benchmark outside the province and even recognized on a national scale”. 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”.

Pedro Bosquet also emphasized that the true merit of a project lies with its creators and coordinators. The merit belongs to you, for your vision as well as the confidence that is transmitted to both the institutions and private sponsors. This proposal, according to him, “is not ephemeral but a real project, capable of creating community and a feeling of belonging through cultural expression”, which is a major factor in the national attention that Villanueva del Rosario has received.

Ignacio Ramos the mayor of Villanueva del Rosario also expressed his gratitude for the support of the institution and emphasized the scale of the project. “I am extremely grateful to Pedro for his collaboration with Carlos over the past two years in this major initiative,” said Ramos.

Programming

Acro’s second edition will take place in Villanueva Del Rosario on 21 and 22 of November. The programme will be packed with a wide range of 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 conclude with a Nina Raku concert and a party featuring 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 program will end in the Plaza Nueva del Saucedo where the last concerts and performances will take place, bringing an end to a weekend dedicated to contemporary creations in Villanueva del Rosaario.