In a notable ceremony this Tuesday, the FIET fair in the Balearic Islands received the National Performing Arts Award for Children and Teens 2022, praised for the quality of its programming. The honor, presented by the Ministry of Culture and Sports through the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), came with a prize of 30,000 euros and recognition from the jury for its impact and excellence.
The jury highlighted FIET, the Balearic Islands Children’s and Youth Theater Fair, for its programming quality and its ability to engage the entire community. The event transforms the fairgrounds into a social hub that activates the local environment and serves as a gathering place for artists and residents alike. It is celebrated as a high-impact force in children’s and youth theatre, influencing not only the Catalan performing arts scene but also the national panorama.
The National Performing Arts Award for Children and Youth honors individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions in performing arts for young audiences, typically reflecting a work or performance released or presented during the year 2021.
Celebrating its twentieth edition in 2022, FIET has been held in Vilafranca de Bonany since 2002, typically throughout October. Each year the festival draws around 19,000 spectators and brings together numerous theatre companies and professionals from across Europe, reinforcing the town as a recognized theater hub for children and young people.
FIET stands as the flagship project of the non-profit association Sa Xerxa, established in 2003. The organization works to structure and promote a robust theatre landscape for children and youth across the islands. Its portfolio includes the Formentera Festival, Barruguet, the Santa Eulària des Riu Family Theater Festival, the Theater Festival for Fiets and Fietes de Maó, and FESTIVO, the Montuïri Summer Festival.
Beyond presenting performances, the association promotes theatrical creativity through initiatives such as the Guillem de Efak Award for children’s and youth plays and the BÒTIL competition for theatre and literary productions. The Teatre Als Pobles (TAP) circuit supports the distribution of theatre, enabling local organizations and educational and cultural institutions to access high-quality theatre for children and family audiences.
In the last five editions, awards have recognized Pupaclown in 2017, the Marie de Jongh company in 2018, the playwright Itziar Pascual in 2019, the La Baldufa company in 2020, and the Titirimundi festival in Segovia in 2021, reflecting FIET’s ongoing influence in fostering youth theatre across regions.