Emerging artists take flight from the Niu de Sant Martí Vell

GironaNiu, which this year takes place on June 7th, is a festival for young emerging artists from the Catalan Countries. The first edition, held just a year ago, was born from the final year's thesis by Júlia Aleu, who studied audiovisual communication at ERAM. The event, which thanks to its success in the first year secured a second edition, brings together all types of artistic disciplines with a total of 42 original proposals.

The idea of holding a festival, for which she earned an honors degree, allowed her to apply everything she learned during her studies: "The degree is very broad, and I was able to use everything I learned," she explains. She gathered a group of friends from ERAM and, with no experience and starting from scratch, Niu was born. The first call for entries had an unexpected reception: thanks to social media, around 130 proposals were submitted, of which 30 had to be selected. Feasibility was a key factor in the selection process, since the town's spaces and resources are limited.

Júlia Aleu presents the festival as an exchange between the organization and artists. Although no one is currently able to charge, they have created the "+ Niu" sessions, where professionals, artists, and industry insiders share knowledge with younger audiences. This year's highlight is the debate between actress Daniela Brown, visual artist Franc Aleu, and writer Albert Sánchez Piñol, who will discuss artistic creation in the digital age. The festival also offers promotion and an opportunity to make themselves known: "For many of them, it's the first time they've shown what they do in front of an audience," she says. Aleu explains that the choice of the name is related to the idea of a nest that gathers the birds, who are the artists, and that when the festival ends, they take flight. The artists highlight the organization's friendly approach: "We're young, and we create a very easy dynamic. It's their first time, and it's our first time too." Even some of those who performed at the first edition this year have volunteered.

With the success of the first year, when an estimated 850 people attended, the festival's future is assured. The organizing team hopes for even more growth this year and hopes to avoid having to struggle with funding in the future: "The idea isn't to make money. We want it to be a benchmark festival for young people who want to make their way into the arts." They are aware that there has been a recent boom in new festivals, but they welcome the increased offering, as it means that culture is more alive than ever. However, they emphasize the small format: "Being a new, small festival also requires a very personal approach and different offerings."

Both the City Council and the townspeople welcomed it with enthusiasm and enthusiasm. They collaborate in any way they can and provide space and materials: "Last year, a neighbor saw us sitting on the ground for an activity and brought out some wood and a mat for us." Júlia, who has lived in Sant Martí Vell all her life, emphasizes the importance of events like this for decentralizing culture and bringing life to the towns.