25 years of culture: more professionals, just as precarious

PalmMany of the changes the cultural sector in the Balearic Islands has undergone in the last 25 years can be summarized in one key point: the first steps have been taken toward the professionalization of its members. All the experts consulted agree that in the audiovisual, musical, literary, and theatrical fields, the first quarter of the 21st century has seen progress in the working conditions of those involved. These improvements are inextricably linked to certain public policies developed in this area—with the current catalog of available subsidies as a key component—which have led to the creation of jobs and training centers. They have also fostered a greater diversity of styles, themes, and genres explored by Balearic creators and, ultimately, greater recognition and connection with audiences, both local and international.

However, all of this has led to increased bureaucracy that doesn't always benefit the creative field, and unfortunately, if there's one word that still defines the sector, it's 'instability'. Despite improved working conditions, the daily lives of those dedicated to culture are still largely marked by the same precariousness that plagued it 25 years ago. As screenwriter Ernest Riera points out, "We've started to move towards giving the sector a structure, but institutions and society still need to fully believe in it, to truly understand that culture is not only necessary but can also be beneficial in the economic, political, and social spheres."

More productions

The audiovisual sector is one of those that has most clearly and evidently experienced this change. In 2000, those who could dedicate themselves to audiovisual production were exceptional cases, and they did so mainly in documentaries or short films. In these two and a half decades, the first fiction film directed by a woman from the Islands has reached theaters –Bittersweet DaysSince Marga Melià's film, released in 2017, hundreds of pieces have been shot, and the island's talent has been recognized with awards such as the Goya, where Jaume Carrió and Laura Gost won the award for best animated short film for Woody and WoodyCarles Bover, the one from the short documentary by Loop and where the great Mallorcan filmmaker, Agustí Villaronga, made history with Black bread In 2011, it became the Catalan-language production that had received the most awards ever at these prizes.

IB3 and the emergence of platforms

In any case, one of the most significant milestones for the audiovisual sector as a whole in the early 2000s was the launch of IB3, the public broadcasting corporation that began broadcasting in 2005. Since then, it has become a key player in the development and consolidation of numerous channels, which have provided co-productions with the corporation's support. Among the series, notable examples include... Treufoc, one thriller produced by the regional television network, which, thanks to international distribution, has been able to premiere in countries such as the United States and Canada.

In fact, the internationalization of projects, thanks above all to the rise of streaming platforms, is another substantial development this sector has experienced, and not only in the Balearic Islands. "The platforms have given visibility to many small and medium-sized works that have become international productions. Independent films or series that, at most, had limited audiences, that were considered local products, and that can now reach the other side of the world. And that has also led to greater creative freedom, and many more opportunities for screenwriters of films like Primate and Nowhere.

The rise of festivals

In the film sector, the vast majority of video rental stores and many historic cinemas, such as the Metropolitan in Palma and the Novedades in Inca, have disappeared in the last 25 years. The Renoir cinemas became CineCiutat in 2012 thanks to a citizen initiative that is still active 13 years later. The closure of cinemas has coincided with the rise of film festivals, which have seen the flourishing of events like Atlántida and Evolution in Mallorca, as well as the Menorca Doc Fest and the Ibiza Cine Fest. This transformation has also occurred in the music sector: the emergence of Mallorca Live has coincided with the disappearance of a significant number of venues that offered regular live music programming in Mallorca, such as Sonotone, Casino Royal, and Bluesville, among many others. A solid and profitable circuit for local musicians has given way to large events featuring mostly foreign artists.

Bookstores, cultural centers

The number of book presentations held in Balearic bookstores has also increased considerably. "In 2000, it was rare for an author from Madrid or Barcelona, ​​let alone an international one, to come to Mallorca to present a book," explains Miquel Ferrer, president of the Booksellers' Guild, "and now we have one in a bookstore here almost every week. There's been a huge explosion of activity in this area," Ferrer points out, adding that it's part of the cultural management ecosystem. "We've also seen the emergence of hybrid projects or those geared towards specific audiences, such as children's books, and large retailers like Casa del Libro, Abacus, and Agapea have arrived in Mallorca for the first time," the bookseller notes. "I think we've also seen a significant transformation in the local literary and publishing sector: there's greater diversity of genres and themes, and numerous local authors are publishing with great success abroad, such as Aina Bestard and Joana Marcús, true phenomena of recent years," he emphasizes.

Consolidation of dramaturgy

Not only in the literary field have we seen Balearic authors cross borders, but also in dramaturgy, the key element in the changing cycle that the performing arts have experienced in the last 25 years, according to Cristina Bugallo, a member of the Produccions de Ferro company. "I would highlight the consolidation of local playwrights, who have dared to grow and delve into contemporary themes, which has led them not only to premiere in Barcelona and Madrid, and in Catalan-speaking territories, but also to be translated into multiple languages and become known in other places. The creation of the Association of Women Playwrights and Drama Bugallo." Playwright Pep Ramon Cerdà and critic JA Mendiola agreed at the book presentation. 10 years of theatre in Mallorca (2013 - 2023)Edited by Lleonard Muntaner. "We've come to understand that it's not necessary to only produce works by foreign authors," Cerdà explained in an interview with ARA Baleares, "and the explosion of playwrights that Barcelona experienced in the late 90s wasn't something we fully grasped here until ten or twenty years later. Now, however, we have a Marta Barceló, a Miquel Mas."

ESADIB

On the other hand, Cristina Bugallo highlights the role played in the transformation of the sector by ESADIB, the Higher School of Dramatic Art of the Balearic Islands, which opened its doors in 2006. "The Balearic theater sector has existed for many years, with a number of companies like Iguana Teatre or Estudi Zero, which have been around for decades. They have incorporated others who have been able to maintain themselves and join a professional ecosystem that can look to the future with some peace of mind, even though stability always hangs by a thread. Training without starting from that point has been noticeable in the consolidation of the professional sector," she argues.

Es Baluard

In the art world, one of the most important milestones of these 25 years is the inauguration, in 2004, of the Es Baluard museum, and equally important has been its evolution since then, as explained by the museum's curator and head of public programs, Pilar Rubí. "Es Baluard has matured under its successive directors, who have managed to align it with what is happening in similar spaces throughout Spain," Rubí shares, "it's true that 25 years ago there were galleries, which have since closed, such as Altaïr, Joan Guaita, and Ferran Cano, which were absolutely pioneering. There was also an alternative scene, which manifested itself in magazines like House Taken Overwhich even had its own premises, bars, and shops that functioned as exhibition spaces. This small network of cultural spaces, born from the cultural enthusiasm of a group of friends, has been gradually dismantled,” notes the music and art expert. In parallel, in fact, there has also been a disappearance of criticism of all these events, which at the beginning of the 21st century had a prominent presence in publications and the cultural ecosystem. “There were magazines like DP either Concept "which served to reflect all the movement that was going on," reflects Rubí, who emphasizes that back then everything was "much more amateur"At the beginning of 2000, it was unthinkable that good practice manuals would exist. We have learned a lot about professionalization, although there is still much work to be done."