The regional secretary of Culture, Marta Alonso, has expressed the Department's intention not to prolong the interim period in the management of the Valencian Institute of Culture (IVC). At the presentation of the 43rd edition of Sagunt a Escena, Alonso indicated that the selection process is expected to last "weeks" and that the responsible person will be known "by early September", despite the administrative difficulties typical of summer.
The director general of Culture, Ignacio Prieto, has already assumed the administrative powers of the institution's general directorate to prevent its paralysis. This situation is temporary, and it is expected that the new public tender, with similar terms to previous ones, will open soon. The IVC is obliged by its statutes to follow this model for electing its top executive.
In addition to the interim management, the institution has a new Deputy Director of Management, José Antonio Alcantud Doménech, formerly of the Valencian Institute of Finance. This key position for streamlining complex administrative processes was previously held by Prieto and is filled by discretionary commission of services.
These measures aim to restore normality to the regional entity's operations, which have experienced delays and dissatisfaction during the first half of the year. One of Ignacio Prieto's first actions was to meet with performing arts professionals.
“"Three years of fictitious dialogue, deadlines, and unfulfilled commitments"
The association Gestió Cultural, one of the most critical, positively values the new channel of communication but warns that the sector's trust is severely damaged due to "three years of fictitious dialogue, deadlines, and unfulfilled commitments".
One of the topics discussed was the launch of the new Valencian Cultural Circuit. The IVC has stated that the provisional catalog of shows will be published imminently, followed by a five-day period for objections. Subsequently, the process of municipal adhesion will open, and programming will be approved. The forecast is that the 2026-2027 season will begin in early September.
The situation regarding calls for funding for artistic creation, still pending publication, was also addressed. Associations are demanding the immediate release of lines for research, playwriting, artistic residencies, and emerging companies, arguing that a delay until September would effectively compromise the year's activities. "Publishing them in September makes their purpose unfeasible," argue Gestió Cultural, highlighting the importance of these grants for the most fragile areas of Valencian performing arts creation.
The meeting also included the budgetary situation of the Mostra de Teatre d’Alcoi and the lack of response to long-standing demands from associations, such as a strategic plan for Valencian performing arts and the official evaluation of an alternative Circuit Cultural proposal developed by the sector itself.
