Valencia’s Association of Live Music Venues, known as En Viu, has announced that the Music Honor Award for 2022 will be presented during the premiere of the V Carles Santos Music Awards. The ceremony is scheduled for December 16 at the Valencia Main Theatre, highlighting En Viu’s network of twenty venues spread across the Valencian Community. Fran Bordonado, the manager of Sala Euterpe de Sant Joan, serves as the association’s president and guiding force behind this recognition.
The announcement came from Raquel Tamarit, the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, during a recent meeting with award candidates. The Music Honor Award from Generalitat Culture celebrates the dedicated work of live music venues in the region, recognizing spaces that attract both devoted fans and casual concertgoers. These venues act as hubs where audiences gather to experience diverse performances and discover emerging artists, while supporting established projects that contribute to the local cultural landscape.
According to Tamarit, these venues are true oases for music lovers who seek fresh sounds and new horizons. Live music showcases form the backbone of the cultural scene, offering a rich rhythm that reflects the region’s geographic diversity. In these spaces, music is created, nurtured, and brought to life by the people behind each room who make every show possible. The award gleams as a tribute to all those individuals who contribute to the vibrant life of Valencia’s concert circuit.
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Across the industry, several concert hall executives participated in the announcement of this commendation. The Association, established in 2013 to promote public performances and live music, also works to recognize private venues that host music in shared spaces. Today it actively supports the standardization and regulation of licensing and conditions necessary to sustain professional live-music environments, ensuring venues remain welcoming, compliant, and capable of hosting both intimate showcases and large-scale performances.
Ceremony that turns into a concert hall
The gala will be moderated by Vincent Columns and will feature a program that emphasizes the Honored Award recipients by showcasing the venues themselves and the visual imagery associated with live music spaces. The event will bring together leading artists and memorable performances that reflect the spirit of the Honorary Award winners, highlighting the collaboration between venues and artists that defines Valencia’s music culture.
During the ceremony, performances will be presented in duet formats, highlighting artistic partnerships across genres. Examples include collaborations involving soprano Elia Casanova with Carles Denia, Laura Esparza alongside the band Smoking Souls, Carlos Caselles, Mireia Vives paired with Toni de l’Hostal, and Monty Peiró together with Vera Carrión from the group known for its distinctive sound. These duets will be complemented by performances from the niu ensemble, which includes Tere Núñez, Eva Català, and Lucía Zambudio, with Marina Alcantud serving as music director to guide the orchestration and overall musical direction of the program.