Bilbao is bringing culture to the streets this spring, allowing citizens to enjoy it for free and outdoors in every neighborhood. The City Council has programmed over a hundred activities for the coming months, aimed at all types of audiences, which will be held in squares and parks with the goal of fostering coexistence and making performing arts more accessible.
The events will take place in May and June and will include various artistic disciplines such as dance, street theater, Basque folklore, music, and clown performances, featuring artists, groups, and companies from Euskadi and the rest of the country.
“"Our city, its streets, squares, and parks become an open stage this spring. Culture comes to meet the citizens. Bilbao has an intense cultural activity with great facilities and stable programming, but our commitment goes further. We want all Bilbao residents to have the opportunity to enjoy the performing arts in their own neighborhood, close to home, without barriers and on equal terms."
The various initiatives will be held over the coming weeks until the beginning of summer, when the Bilboko Kalealdia festival will start, along with the programming specifically designed for the summer months. In addition to bringing culture closer to citizens, one of the initiative's objectives is also to promote the talent of local artists. The full cultural program can be consulted on the City Council's website.
In the musical sphere, the MusikAuzo program will deploy a wide range of concerts and itinerant performances to bring music to squares and streets from May 16 to July 5 in all districts. Additionally, the didactic concert program La música me divierte will offer performances from April 30 to May 29 at the Bertendona Institute in Zabalburu, aimed at creating new audiences.
Regarding performing arts, Bilboko Zirkuitua will continue to offer its proposals until May 14 in various municipal centers, promoting the activity of theater groups from Bilbao and its surroundings. Magic encounters, Magiaren topaketak, return from May 2 to 31 in Otxarkoaga and Txurdinaga, with 11 performances and an exhibition commemorating the centenary of Houdini's death. In Zorroza, the Ferial Park will host a new edition of Clown Zorroza from May 7 to 9, with five free performances.
For dance, the Bilboko dantzaguneak kalera program will showcase the work of the city's dance academies on June 6 and 7 in Abandoibarra. Meanwhile, the Ibaiondo dantzan program will bring the proposals of seven dance companies from Euskadi and the rest of the country to the public on June 19 and 20 in the Jardines de Gernika square in Miribilla.
In folklore, Udaberriko bertso saioak will be held on May 9, 15, 23, and 30 in Santutxu's Karmelo square, with the participation of important bertsolaris from Bizkaia and Lapurdi. The Santutxu kolorea program will combine contemporary dance with traditional Basque dances and music from June 5 to 7 in Santutxu, featuring a guest Catalan group.
Finally, the Dantza plazetan program will bring Basque dances to all corners of Bilbao until June 27. On June 27 at 7:00 PM in Arriaga square, there will be a special exhibition by the Catalan group Castellers Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls along with Salbatzaile dantza taldea from Castaños, followed by the traditional romería.
