Fira Mediterrània of Manresa invites artists to submit proposals for the 16th event

• The organising foundation will be promoting new business approaches

Fira Mediterrània of Manresa has opened the 2013 round of proposals for companies and groups wanting to get involved in the forthcoming 16th event, due to be held from 7 to 10 November. The deadline for presenting projects is Saturday 23 March 2013.

In the selection process, Fira will be giving priority to brand new performances never premiered before either in Catalonia or Spain, emphasising the event’s role as a showcase for new work. Proposals will be judged on their interest in Fira as a place to do business and the touring potential of shows presented, plus the quality and artistic value of projects and their connection with Mediterranean folk roots. Other aspects that will be taken into account are the professional approaches of artists and companies submitting proposals, and the possibility of putting on more than one performance at Fira, enabling acts to be seen by accredited professional delegates, along similar lines to other fairs of this kind on the international circuit. The announcement stresses Fira’s interdisciplinary character, drawing together all kinds of artistic practice and expression: visual arts, circus, dance, exhibitions, music, storytelling and theatre. The Manresa marketplace is also set to continue scheduling shows in a range of different formats (small, medium and large) aimed at adult and family audiences alike.

The last call for proposals issued by Fira Mediterrània resulted in 790 projects being submitted, from which around a hundred were selected. Last year 1,118 professionals from 582 contracting companies based in 30 different countries attended this performing arts marketplace that puts the spotlight on Mediterranean roots. The programme included a total of 200 arts activities involving 100 different groups, plus 70 workshops and talks at the Mediterrània Professional Meeting. Some of these projects came to Fira with new and original business approaches in which the financial risk was directly taken on by the business owners showing their acts at the event. The Manresa-based foundation will be promoting these business opportunities to ensure that progress continues to be made towards achieving a more financially sustainable Fira. As far as the accredited professional delegates are concerned, this year’s Fira Mediterrània will be concentrating on internationalisation. The main focus will be on building wider markets for artists and cultural enterprise, on consolidating the domestic market and on securing a higher profile abroad.

Submitting proposals online

The application requirements can be found on the Fira Mediterrània website, www.firamediterrania.cat, and proposals can be submitted using the online process. Fira Mediterrània organisers have gone to great lengths to publicise the online facility from the earliest stages of putting the 2013 event together. Companies wanting to take part must accompany their proposal with an artistic portfolio containing a detailed description of their project, plus a full description of the show, CVs, cast list and a brief account of how their show connects with Mediterranean folk roots. They also have to submit technical specifications and requirements, the number of people involved and details of the size of vehicle needed to transport the set. They should also provide photographs, at least of the company or group (in .tif or .jpg format, measuring 10x15cm and with a resolution of 300dpi), and preferably links to videos or audio recordings of their show.