Antònia Roca: "The fact that there are no earmarked subsidies does not mean that we do not support our language."

Palm2026 has begun with changes in the Culture Department of the Consell de Mallorca, headed by the island's vice-president, Antònia Roca. The appointment of Guillem Ginard as Tourism Councillor, previously in charge of the island's Culture Department, has led to Roca's chief of staff, Andreu Ferrer, taking over the position. "It's a change that seeks continuity," says the councillor, who opens the conversation by stating that in 2026 "it's time to reap the rewards we've sown since 2023."

For example?

— The Fontanelles shipwreck, after two and a half years of work, has resulted in an extraction and conservation project that is now complete and will be one of the highlights of 2026. We also have other projects such as the Mallorcan Artisan Fashion brand, which already has 18 representatives, and the Fábrica Nueva (New Factory), which, once acquired, we can begin transforming into a museum. Not to mention the Principal Theatre in Palma: the 7.7 million euros we are allocating this year will allow us to see the fruits of having a theatre open to everyone, which was one of our objectives.

A pickaxe was extracted from the Roman ship of Les Fontanelles, what will become of the remains?

— At the international congress held in Playa de Palma at the end of the year, the project was finalized with scientific rigor and the consensus of experts. We are now in the process of tendering everything necessary to adapt the space at Sant Carles Castle, including materials such as swimming pools, tents, and equipment for the laboratory spaces. A special assembly will also be required. in situ for the extraction and, if all goes well and the weather cooperates, the intention is to carry it out before Easter.

The other major project in the field of archaeology is the Archaeology Center of Mallorca. What stage is it at?

— We've been holding meetings with individuals and groups who might have connections to this center, from experts and universities to local residents and stakeholders, to identify their needs and objectives. We already have a roadmap, agreed upon by all of them, and the idea is to present it as soon as possible.

The location will finally be in Sa Tanca de Can Domènech, that is, on the BIC site of Pol·lència?

— Yes. We conducted the necessary research and preliminary studies to determine if it was feasible, and they concluded that it was, with the approval of the technical experts. We want to ensure that the heritage resources and materials are centralized in a center owned by the Council, and not in a borrowed building, as is currently the case. We want a center of excellence that will also serve as a link with Polencia, where research efforts can be enhanced due to its proximity to the archaeological site.

But shouldn't it be designated solely for Polencia, or not? The request is made because the chosen location has been heavily criticized by archaeologists and heritage experts, who argue that such a center would make more sense, for example, in an industrial park.

— No, it won't just be for Polencia, it will be for all of Mallorca, but it's not like all the research is done in Palma, is it? In Mallorca, you shouldn't have to drive five hours to get anywhere, and locating it in Alcúdia also allows us to accommodate all the underwater archaeology work. Access conditions have also been taken into account, both by public transport and the motorway that serves the area.

Another recent controversy has centered on the competitive examinations for the position of Artistic Heritage Technician. The rector of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Jaume Carot, has requested that the planned syllabus, which has a more legal and administrative focus, be revised and replaced with the syllabus used in previous calls for applications, which effectively limited access to the position to experts in Art History.

— Neither we nor anyone else in the department knows where that other syllabus they say was used before came from. In any case, the current syllabus was proposed by the Heritage technicians, who are the ones who know the day-to-day operations and the department's needs, and therefore were responsible for drafting it accordingly.

But that curriculum could mean there are no technicians with knowledge of art history, much less with specific training on Mallorca's historical and artistic heritage, even though they are the ones responsible, for example, for declaring sites of cultural interest. Don't you think that's an anomaly?

— We agree that we would like to have dedicated art history specialists, and that we need them, but this will have to be achieved through open calls for new positions at a later date. This current system was launched in 2023, and the legal and administrative aspects carry significant weight because they are part of the department's daily operations. The vision for heritage management has not changed at all. It is a well-organized department that does excellent work and will continue to do so.

When we interviewed you in 2023, you said that time would prove that "there will be no setbacks regarding the language." However, by 2026, the earmarked grants for Jóvenes por la Lengua (Youth for Language) and the OCB (Cultural Organization of the Basque Country) have been eliminated. Isn't that a setback?

— The fact that there are no earmarked grants does not mean that we do not support organizations that contribute to the promotion of our language. We continue to work hand in hand with all of them. This year, for example, we have worked on the museum project at Can Alcover, which we will inaugurate on February 25, coinciding with the centenary of Joan Alcover's death. And we know that there is a special Correllengua (Language Exchange) underway with other participating communities, and we will also try to join forces with them.

In addition, the categories in Spanish have been increased in the Mallorca awards.

— The goal was to end the legislative term by equalizing the prize money in both languages, and we achieved this in 2025. The prizes have the same amounts in Spanish and Catalan, and we have ensured that more people can apply, using whichever language they prefer. Our approach is not one language over the other, but rather one of equality.