The conversations outside the Canal Theaters on Thursday nights before the 41st Autumn Festival drifted toward the same questions: what is happening with leadership, and why. Voices spoke of confusion and surprise as the Ministry of Culture of the Community of Madrid announced that its founder would take on the festival director role in 2024, elevating Pilar de Yzaguirre to lead. The news came from the Minister of Culture, Mariano de Paco, just three days before the competition opened, and it left many in the theater world wondering about the path forward for the event.
Among those gathered outside the festival were the current managers and other key figures. Alberto Conejero, head of the festival since 2020, publicly noted that he had not been told he would not continue, while urging the Community of Madrid to proceed with the nine ongoing projects into the next edition. The timing of Mariano de Paco’s decision added to the confusion, especially since the consultant did not attend the festival’s opening. He sat beside Conejero in the Red Room at Teatros del Canal. Elena Ramos, General Director of Culture and Tourism of Madrid, was also present in discussions about the future.
The Madrid Community’s next steps remain unclear, particularly since Blanca Li is guiding Teatros del Canal but is not pursuing the announced idea of a theater renovation or expansion of artistic content. Earlier, Natalia Menéndez, who directed the Spanish Theatre segment of the Madrid City Council, announced she would not renew her contract as head of the Spanish Theater Cultural area, a decision connected to disagreements about reorganizing Naves 11 and 10 at Matadero into separate centers for dance and contemporary textual theater, each with its own artistic leadership. The city’s response to these moves did not fully align, leaving questions about whether a replacement would be named. Rivera de la Cruz answered questions from the press with cautious remarks, and no definitive replacement was announced.
Movements within both the City Council and the PP-led Community hint at a broader political strategy in Madrid’s theater scene, though detailed explanations were scarce in this newspaper.
Autumn Festival looks back as it plans ahead
Last Monday, three days before the Autumn Festival began, the Community of Madrid announced that Pilar de Yzaguirre would replace Alberto Conejero as artistic director for 2024. In a statement, Mariano de Paco said the coming year would feature a special edition honoring De Yzaguirre, who helped found the festival in 1984 in recognition of the event’s 40th anniversary. De Paco highlighted De Yzaguirre’s long, influential involvement and described the community’s commitment to avant-garde innovation alongside a deep respect for cultural and heritage traditions, noting that neither stance makes sense without the other.
Alberto Conejero, a playwright, poet, and stage director, was appointed director of the festival in 2020 through a direct appointment by the former Minister of Culture Marta Rivera de la Cruz. His contract runs year to year and renews each December. In a separate cultural note, the Burgos council canceled a production by Briviesca during the same period, illustrating that political shifts can influence artistic decisions in many places. Conejero himself stated that no one pressed him to abandon his principles or restricted him in his creative work or as artistic director.
If the festival marks its 40th anniversary in 2024, it would also celebrate 40 years of history in 2023. Conejero explained that he made those remarks as a tribute to past leaders, referencing moments like Robert Lepage’s involvement during the festival’s 2003 dragon trilogy at the Alamo and acknowledging De Yzaguirre’s foundational role.
Possible conflicts of interest
In a recent interview, Pilar de Yzaguirre explained that Mariano de Paco had encouraged her to shape the festival she wanted. She has run her own production company Ysarca since 1990 and was central to Spain’s premiere of several major productions. She stated she would continue directing the festival while relying on trusted collaborators and insisted there was no conflict with her production company. The community’s procurement processes are handled directly by the city and the ministry, and she noted that this arrangement minimizes personal conflicts of interest because contracts are not issued through her own company.
Nevertheless, sources discussed with this newspaper pointed to a broader pattern in which many contracts for artists are managed through distributors rather than direct hires by individual directors. Some within the festival team expressed concerns about how these arrangements might be interpreted as conflicts of interest.
Ongoing renewal debates at Matadero and beyond
Until recently, Marta Rivera de la Cruz and Natalia Menéndez were negotiating the renewal of their roles at Teatro Español. The city’s plan to shift Naves 11 and 10 of Matadero toward independent centers for contemporary textual theater and dance has sparked divergence between leadership and technical teams. The absence of a dedicated in-house staff for the new project and the proposed organizational changes contributed to Menéndez’s decision not to renew. Public explanations centered on administrative and bureaucratic challenges, yet the concerns ran deeper among theater professionals who feared changes to the institution’s traditional structure.
The theater world is watching as Rivera de la Cruz faces a busy period with leadership decisions, new appointments, and budget considerations for upcoming renovations across various venues. The cultural department has not released detailed information about these plans, but the pressure to settle leadership for the festival and affiliated theaters remains high. In the background, assistants and managers are preparing for transitions that could redefine Madrid’s theatrical landscape for years to come.
The broader scene continues to unfold with managers and programmers evaluating potential collaborations and scheduling those conversations around the festival’s calendar, while journalists track every development and potential implication for artists, audiences, and regional cultural policy. The city’s cultural agenda has never seemed more interwoven with political decision-making, and the outcome of these moves will shape Madrid’s theater identity for the near future.