“I have never approached culture as a political battle”
Sergio Úbeda. Palma. Photos: Piter Castillo
Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta, coordinator of Culture and Tourism at Palma City Council, welcomes us to talk about his management and how, based on the “solid local gallery network”, Palma has positioned itself at the level of the great cultural capitals of Spain.
Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta, coordinator of Culture and Tourism of Palma City Council.
– You have been in office for more than a year and a half, what is your balance so far?
– The balance is very positive. Palma has exceptional facilities and an excellent team of people. We have managed to give it the dynamism it needed. The quality of the activities we have programmed, both for residents and tourists, has been crucial. The visual and performing arts events have been sold out, reflecting the interest generated by the proposals. In addition, we have made significant investments in infrastructures such as the Casal Solleric, which we are transforming into a cultural centre of reference in Europe.
Gómez, in the administrative offices of the Casal Solleric.
– In 2016 you were dismissed as director of the Palma Espai d’Art Foundation for “incompatibility of functions.” Do you feel that now, being at the head of Culture, it is a kind of personal triumph?
– I don’t see it as a triumph. I have never approached culture as a political battle. We are here to improve the cultural scene and for citizens to enjoy the best possible offer. That episode had a traumatic component, but I feel fortunate to be where I am today, working for the culture of Palma, a city I love.
– Heritage is another pillar of Culture. How is work being done in this area?
– We are working on the Museum of the City Interpretation Centre. Our intention is to develop a network museum that connects various spaces in Palma. It is an ambitious project, but it is necessary to interpret Palma both for those of us who live here and for those who visit us. We must make Palma the city we all want, a cultural capital of reference in the Mediterranean.
We are working on the Museum of the City Interpretation Centre
– Going back to contemporary art, what does Palma need to be on a par with cities like Madrid and Barcelona?
– Palma is on a par with Madrid and Barcelona. If there is a city that can join those that keep the pulse of contemporary art, that is Palma, without a doubt. Not only because of the public initiative, but also because of the constant private initiative. We have a very solid private gallery network, with events that attract a large public and a high quality programme. For many years, the galleries have sustained this pulse of contemporary programming, and now we have joined in with proposals that perfectly complement what was being done by private initiative.
The culture coordinator of Palma City Council, during the conversation with Mallorca Global Mag.
– What has been your biggest success so far and what do you expect for 2025?
The biggest success has been seeing how the team around me works with passion and enthusiasm. This is reflected in the results: we have tripled the number of visits to the Casal Solleric and we have full attendance at many events. This involvement is contagious, and that is what is allowing us to take Palma’s cultural programme to another level. My wish is that both those of us who work in culture and those who visit us enjoy what we are doing. If we manage to make art a companion in our lives, we will have achieved a fundamental goal: to connect art and culture in a more immediate way with society.
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