Cort defends the “transformative method” of Palma 2031 despite the exclusion of the candidacy

Palm"A method to reconcile the city with tourism through culture." This is the summary of the project with which Palma was vying for the title of European Capital of Culture 2031 until last Friday, when the Ministry of Culture announced the four cities that would advance to the next phase, among which Palma was not included. Among the arguments that, according to Bonet, may have influenced the jury's decision are Palma's "restrained investment" compared to the finalists—82,800 euros between 2025 and 2026, unlike Cáceres' 750,000 or Las Palmas' nearly two million—and the fact that it was the first time Palma had seen itself in Palma.

At the press conference held this Wednesday morning, Bonet spoke of disappointment—and not only with the decision itself, he was particularly critical of the opposition's reaction—and yet, he expressed Cort's intention to maintain the roadmap proposed in the Palma 2031 project. Despite the efforts that "and its practical application still leave More questions than answers.

The "transformative method"

"We're talking about situations that have occurred until now, such as a promoter from outside the city organizing a large-scale concert, and then leaving as soon as it's over. The reality is that this leaves no lasting legacy. The method serves to define how cultural projects must be to be included in the process. They must have roots, work in an organized and consistent manner, and they must have meaning." This was the specific example Bonet offered in response to the question of what defines, what essentially constitutes, the Palma 2031 project. According to him, it represents a "paradigm shift" that should serve to "redefine the future of the city" and should be applicable to other European cities that, like Palma, have achieved this designation. "Until now, the cities that have obtained this title have focused on attracting more tourism," Bonet asserted, "and we were radically opposed to that idea." It's important to remember, in any case, that The tourism focus has defined the candidacy since its first public presentation.

Bonet defended the candidacy as "a project without fireworks" that "was not designed in offices," and spoke of the involvement of "virtually the entire cultural fabric," although last November The main performing arts associations in the Balearic Islands announced the severing of relations with CortHe also spoke about universal accessibility to culture, the creation of Creative Councils in neighborhoods, and social infrastructure projects such as the transformation of the Gesa building, Can Ribas, and the Caixa de Música. The planned investment between 2026 and 2036 in the long list of projects Bonet outlined amounts to approximately 274 million euros. When asked about the difference in investment by the Palma City Council in its bid compared to the other finalist cities, which have allocated, on average, ten times more budget, Bonet pointed to the "possible misinterpretations" that could have resulted from larger investments. "If we had told you today that we had invested one million euros in the bid, tomorrow's headline would be that we had thrown one million euros down the drain," he argued, "so we opted for a modest investment and a tremendous amount of work from the professionals at the campaign tables, the general managers, the city council officials, and also from Riera." The director of the Impulsa Foundation, who joined the bid last August, declined to receive any remuneration for his work, as confirmed by the city council to ARA Baleares.

Criticism of the opposition

Finally, Bonet recalled that "cities like Valencia and Malaga also failed to obtain the title when they applied" and asserted that "their cultural standing is unquestionable." Furthermore, he expressed his displeasure with the reaction of the opposition parties to Palma being excluded as a candidate for the title in the final stages of the process. "I want to thank all the mayors of Mallorca for their support, because they all gave it to us. Also Virgilio Moreno, mayor of Inca with the PSOE, and Josep Ferrà, of Més, in Esporles. And it's surprising that this spirit wasn't present within the city council. Unfortunately, they preferred to adopt the logic of the opposition. Palma was left out of this race. I think it's unworthy of this institution, and this is confirmed by the fact that city officials were ashamed of what they had heard."