The El Campillo civic center continues to celebrate its 40th anniversary during October and November with a program of activities inviting citizens to participate, share memories, and strengthen community ties in the Casco Viejo. The proposals, which include the collective creation of a mural, a party, the presentation of a documentary, and a photographic exhibition, are the result of a participatory process launched in late 2025 with the involvement of local individuals and groups.
The Councilor for Open Government and Civic Centers, Miren Fernández de Landa, emphasized the importance of the programming originating from citizen contributions: “This anniversary reflects what we want to promote from the civic centers: living, open spaces connected to their surroundings, where citizens are not just users of services, but also protagonists of initiatives. This autumn's activities are an invitation to meet, recognize each other, and continue weaving community.”
One of the main activities will be the collaborative creation of a commemorative mural on an interior wall of the El Campillo sports center. The work will take place on October 19, 20, and 21, following two previous workshops where ideas were gathered to define the design and its message: 'Weaving the neighborhood since 1986'. The facilitation of the workshops, as well as the design and execution proposal for the mural, is coordinated by Ane Cabello, a member of the Jump The Line project. The City Council invites residents, associations, collectives, and anyone interested to join the collective painting days. No prior experience is necessary, only the desire to participate. The hours will be from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM on the 19th and 20th, and from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on the 21st.
Additionally, on Tuesday, October 20, three commemorative banners designed by Gorka Otsoa de Alda, an artisan from the Casco, will be placed on the fence of the civic center's garden. The banners will feature the 40th-anniversary logo and words expressing what El Campillo represents for the neighborhood.
On Friday, October 23, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the sports center will host a party to inaugurate the mural and celebrate the civic center's four decades of history. The program will include music, workshops, and a DJ, as well as the creation of a time capsule to be sealed for ten years, holding messages and wishes for El Campillo's future. Storyteller Ane Guevara will encourage attendees, through a tale, to form a large collective hug. The celebration will continue with music from Txulalai and the group Jare dantza taldea, who will accompany participants in a dancing tour around the entire civic center.
The program will continue in November with two proposals focusing on the collective memory and diversity of the neighborhood. On November 19, at 6:00 PM, the civic center will host the presentation and screening of the documentary “El Casco en nuestras fotos,” a production that captures the experiences and memories of people living in or who have lived in the neighborhood. Testimonies have been gathered through workshops and meetings where participants shared photographs and the stories linked to them. This initiative has been facilitated by the BIZAN centers (San Prudencio, Coronación, and Landázuri).
Furthermore, on Friday, November 27, the photographic exhibition “Los hilos que forman nuestro paño” will be inaugurated, a project by photographer Eneko Etxebarrieta to be installed in the civic center's corridors. The exhibition offers a perspective on the Casco Viejo as a community woven by people of diverse backgrounds and cultures, like a multicultural fabric whose threads form a common, resilient, and enriching tapestry.
With this autumn program, El Campillo continues the first phase of commemorative activities developed in the spring and turns its 40th anniversary into an opportunity to recognize the diversity of the Casco Viejo and continue building community through citizen participation.
