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Palma’s identity is the result of centuries of Mediterranean coexistence, a legacy that has shaped its language, its heritage and a way of life still felt in every corner of the city. Palma not only preserves its culture: it lives it and reinvents it day by day. With its bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2031, under the theme “Mediterranean in Motion”, the city seeks to open a new era driven by art, innovation and environmental commitment, grounded in a simple but powerful idea: culture + sustainability = future. It is not only about earning international recognition, but about transforming forever the relationship between the city, culture and the Mediterranean that defines it.
Mayor Jaime Martínez Llabrés leads the bid to become European Capital of Culture.
Palma is currently experiencing an especially vibrant cultural moment. The exhibition Paysage Miró: La Chispa Mágica—one of the most important initiatives dedicated to the artist, with more than one hundred works spread across Sa Llonja, Es Baluard, Casal Solleric and the Fundació Miró—together with major exhibitions by Jaume Plensa and Pedro Cabrita Reis, has strengthened the city’s role as a contemporary artistic hub, contributing to a total of more than 900,000 visitors. Meanwhile, participatory events such as the Nit de l’Art and the Art Palma Brunch turn the streets into an open museum each year.
Sculpture from the Paysage Miró exhibition.
This cultural energy rests on a solid and diverse offering, with more than 15 museums, 30 galleries and a network of theatres and auditoriums that keep its artistic pulse alive. The Teatre Principal stands out for its opera, theatre and dance programming, joined by the Auditòrium, the Teatre del Mar and the municipal spaces Xesc Forteza and Maruja Alfaro. In film, the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival and the Atlàntida Film Fest attract more than 45,000 attendees and are among the most influential in southern Europe. And in music, festivals such as Mallorca Live, Cranc and the celebrations of La Patrona draw large, enthusiastic audiences.
The exhibition WHATWETHINKASINSIGNIFICANT… by Markus Linnenbrink at Casal Solleric.
This cultural transformation is advancing in parallel with a decisive urban renewal aimed at improving quality of life for residents. The reconstruction of the Torres del Temple is under way, while the seafront is being redefined through the Palma Culture & Innovation Bay project, which will turn Nou Llevant into a hub of culture, technology and innovation, complete with new green and cultural spaces.
The bid, driven by the City Hall under the leadership of Mayor Jaime Martínez Llabrés, has the support of the Govern, the Consell, the 67 municipalities of the Balearic Islands and the wider cultural and artistic community of the islands, as well as institutions from Europe, Africa and the Americas—backing that reinforces the vision of a city moving towards the future by bringing together culture, sustainability and citizen wellbeing.
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