The Contemporary Initiatives Front is not just a festival; it functions as a platform for avant-garde cultural language. Its aim is to explore how proposals are understood and how they are presented to audiences.
Thus, the fourth edition arrives with energy. From October 17 to 23, Villena hosts a surge of extreme creativity, gathering 30 artists from various disciplines. Local, national, and international creators participate, with about a quarter of them from Villena, while many professionals develop their work abroad.
The program embraces theatre, poetry, painting, photography, comics, plastic arts, video art, performance, and music. These are diverse creative languages that are not new by definition, yet they are presented in fresh, innovative ways by their authors.
“FIC stands as a permanent link to the city’s contemporary art and its creators,” explains the festival director, Joseph Ayelo. The remarks were made during a presentation at the Teatre Arniches in Alicante, with Elena Benitez from the Villena Cultural Council and Helen Ferrando, one of the festival’s curators, in attendance as seen in Ferrando’s photograph.
This edition organizes a wide range of experiences: workshops, talks, stage performances, concerts, and exhibitions. The programming unfolds across various venues within the City’s Culture House and nearby spaces, including a window display in an old shop and a photography exhibit by Jero Martinez. One notable installation is a facade work by Jorge Sellés, a piece previously showcased at the Pompidou in Paris. Other venues include San Anton’s Hermitage, where Croatian photographer Izabela Matos will present works and performances, the space of Xu French and visual artist Isabel Perez del Thumb, and a craft brewery hosting a comics showcase by cartoonist Fefeto.
Avant-garde music will be performed by the band Versonautes, followed by Beginning of Slowness, Thousand Pesetas Jazz Club, and Moondog’s Son. The concerts take place at the KAKV cafe and the final performance occurs in the Plaza de Santiago to close the event.
Emma Wolf will also perform in Ilicitana within the same complex, presenting Mutant Dog in a Gardener-style setting with a distinctive rap rhythm. Rafael Hernandez will present his works in the same venue, while Ainhoa Valley will present photography and video works along with Lolo Way’s plastic exhibition Wild Need. Juana Varela will hold a public session to present Resolland, a piece described by the Valencia-based creator as a celebration of life.
Villena reaffirms its commitment to contemporary art and to connecting with broader art circuits.
Workshops led by Maite Sanchez and Raul Domene will run through the week, culminating in public presentations of the results.
FIC is described by Ayelo as a project under construction, yet already a standing appointment for audiences. The festival operates with a budget of around 30,000 euros, primarily funded by the Villena City Council, with support from the Committee and IVC. This year, IVC’s involvement increased by 5,000 euros. The guiding aim, as expressed by the organizers, is to share art that resonates with people, not merely what they understand.
Helen Ferrando, one of the five curators, notes that FIC seeks to fill Villena with contemporary expression and to make unconventional creations accessible to art lovers who may not be familiar with avant-garde practices. The overarching idea is that audiences see themselves in places they would not have imagined visiting before.
Representing the Mayor of Villena, Elena Benitez emphasizes that FIC is already leaving a mark on Villena’s cultural identity, serving as a stamp that defines the city and fuels a passion to make Villena a true cultural hub within the province.