Villena Hosts a New Edition of Estigma Festival Highlighting Mental Health Through Art and Culture
Villena will host a fresh edition of Estigma Festival this spring, a cultural event centered on mental health through artistic and cultural expressions. The festival is scheduled to run from April 11 to April 21 and was introduced this Thursday at the Casa de Cultura.
The press conference announcing the event featured the Councillor for Culture, Maria Server; the Councillor for Equality, Alba Laserna; Virtu Tomás, director of Sanamente projects; Paco Flor of Teatro Chapí; Esther Perales from the University Campus; Helena Hernández from Cruz Roja; Pepe Ayelo of KaKV; and José Pollo and Lourdes Requena from Espacio Yananá.
Virtu Tomás, speaking on behalf of the Red Sanamente network, stated, “Mental health is the core mission of Red Sanamente. For thirty years the network has worked toward improving resources and access. It is a collective matter, and creating this space brings us closer to society. Estigma Festival is one of the tools at our disposal, and we are convinced that through art and culture we can craft spaces that enrich the whole community.”
Maria Server emphasized the city’s support, noting, “From the Ayuntamiento we back this festival because it plays a crucial role in promoting mental well-being for the community. It demonstrates our commitment and the importance of addressing these topics in the public sphere. Artistic tools can be therapeutic, helping people manage emotions. Art carries a significant role in mental health by offering a creative outlet, and a festival focused on mental health is essential for fostering emotional, sociological, and mental well-being.”
The festival will officially begin on April 11 at Teatro Chapí with a full program reveal featuring live music, poetry, theatre, videos, and performances by various artists.
From the Equality department, attention has turned to affective and sexual relationships from early ages. Alba Laserna explained that the Estigma team will visit high schools to engage students in first and second year of secondary education. The goal is to spark reflection on environments that objectify women and mythologize certain bodies, while also presenting healthy, alternative expressions of intimacy that challenge those stereotypes seen in pornography.
Cruz Roja will participate with awareness activities addressing loneliness across life stages. Two initiatives are planned: a percussion workshop on April 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Espacio Joven open to the general public, and a session on loneliness and mental health on April 17 in the pensioners’ association meeting hall. The sessions will explore different forms of loneliness, their causes, and practical ways to mitigate them.
This year the Casa de Cultura will host a theatrical piece titled Nua, radiography of a disorder. The performance unfolds in a unique setting of five toilets, employing contemporary language that blends fiction with reality. “We doubled the stakes and wanted the show to be seen by students, so two performances have been scheduled. The aim is to present a piece that is urgently relevant and to send a message of hope and support to those affected by these conditions,” concluded Pepe Ayelo.
Lourdes Requena of Espacio Yananá remarked that “even today mental health carries a stigma, a stain. Estigma Festival will continue occupying spaces with voices that demand change. It is a collective effort to transform how society views mental health.”
Marking its renewed presence, Estigma Festival seeks to weave artistic practice into public life, inviting residents to reflect on mental health as a shared concern that benefits from creative expression and civic engagement. The festival also serves as a platform for communities to learn, connect, and support one another through culture, dialogue, and accessible events that invite broad participation. The organizers encourage audiences to engage with the diverse programming and to see art not only as entertainment but as a catalyst for emotional resilience and social cohesion. [Source: Local coverage and official festival communications.]