The World's Fair of Flamenco (Feria Mundial del Flamenco)
creates the first international trade fair for this sector
Tomatito, Chano Domínguez, Cañizares and Arcángel slated to perform

Silvia Calado Olivo

For the first time ever, the business side of flamenco will take precedence over the artistic. Seville's Bienal de Flamenco is deviating from its biannual character with the Feria Mundial del Flamenco, a commercial complement to the most important festival of this art in the world. Between October 4th and 7th, the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Sevilla (Fibes) will bring together the main businesses related to the world of flamenco, from record producers and distributors to fashion concerns. The convention, sponsored among others by Flamenco-world.com, will balance out the technical and commerical agenda with programmed performances that will include artists such as Tomatito, Chano Domínguez, Cañizares, Arcángel, El Grilo or Marina Heredia.

The flamenco industry is attending its first international appointment. The Feria Mundial del Flamenco, a convention organized to give continuity to Seville's Bienal de Flamenco, in the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Sevilla (Fibes), is a call to the business network related to this form of artistic expression, record promotion and services, publishers, producers and associated businesses.

Palacio de Exposiciones y congresos de Sevilla (Fibes)

The managing director of Fibes, Felipe Luis Maestro, explains that the fair will be held annually in such a way that when it coincides with the Bienal it will concentrate more on the business aspect, and in the in-between years, as is the case of this first edition, there will be more performances to attract people. In fact, when each day's technical and commercial activities come to a close, there will be a flamenco show of some sort. The program will open with the work Encuentros by the Andalusian Dance Company (Compañía Andaluza de Danza) where guest artists Isabel Bayón and Alejandro Granados will participate. The guitarist from Almería, Tomatito, and the pianist from Cádiz, Chano Domínguez will meld their strings at the Área de Cultura del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla (Seville town hall's cultural area) on the second night at Fibes' outdoor stage. The flamenco singer and producer Pepe de Lucía will present a show on Saturday, promoted by the Asociación de Intérpretes y Ejecutantes [performing artists' association], which will bring together singers Arcángel and Marina Heredia, guitarist Juan Manuel Cañizares, and dancer El Grilo. The closing performance will be the responsibility of Tomasito and the group from Huelva, Los Activos. There will also be record presentations to complement the recitals, and dancer-choreographer Matilde Coral will give a master class.

Nevertheless, the weight of the Feria Mundial del Flamenco falls upon the businesses themselves as Luis Cobos, president of the Asociación de Intérpretes y Ejecutantes points out, because "all flamenco is crying out for a commerical platform" to facilitate the connection between independant artists and producers. The commerical director of Fibes, Juan Manuel del Río, defines the encounter as "a place to stimulate business". One of the goals of the fair is to become a platform for hiring shows, given the presence of people from Japan, the United States, Canada and the European Community in charge of scheduling performances.

The Feria Mundial del Flamenco, which has a budget of nearly five-hundred thousand euros (eighty million pesetas), divides the commerical zone into four patios: one for flamenco fashion and accessories; two others for record companies, associations, flamenco peñas and sponsors; and a fourth for public institutions and administrations. All under one roof for four days with the same goal which is, as Luis Cobos says, to strive to make flamenco "not something fashionable which rises and then falls, but rather a living, permanent art that responds to international public demand".

Translation: Estela Zatania

NOTE:
The entrance fee for the trade fair (price: 1,000 pesetas) includes attendance to the shows and programmed activities up until 9:00 pm. The entrance fee for the evening performances is 1,000 pesetas.