The exhibition of paintings by Brianda Fitz James Stuart opens the 3rd Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST)

The event, organized by the Estepona City Council, is taking place at the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center throughout the weekend and features prominent figures from the arts and literature, including Enrique Vila-Matas, Estrella Morente, Pedro Piqueras, and Belén Cuesta, among others

Authors Rosa Montero and Marta Jiménez Serrano will participate this afternoon in the first events open to the general public.

The third edition of the Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST), organized by the Estepona City Council at the Mirador del Carmen, has kicked off with the first activities designed to bring leading figures in the arts and literature to the general public. The exhibition of paintings by Brianda Fitz James Stuard, on the central Calle Terraza, and public meet-and-greets featuring writers Rosa Montero and Marta Jiménez Serrano, as well as artists Mario Vaquerizo and Topacio Fresh, are the highlights of the opening day of this literary festival, which has gained significant prominence despite its relatively short history.

The Estepona Literary Festival takes to the streets with the exhibition “The Path: From the Invisible to the Visible” by artist Brianda Fitz James Stuard—a journey through a selection of paintings in which each work represents a key word that has accompanied and inspired the artist throughout her artistic and personal journey. Brinda Fitz James is a multidisciplinary artist who has collaborated with numerous brands and across all kinds of media: from illustrations to watch designs, packaging, ceramics, and books.

For Mayor José María García Urbano, this third edition of FLEST represents another step forward in the City Council’s steadfast commitment to culture. “Estepona is moving forward in many ways, and one of them is undoubtedly culture. For years we have been investing in culture, the arts, and intellectual pursuits, and this has been reflected not only in top-tier events like this festival but also in new facilities capable of hosting them.”

For his part, Alejandro Simón Partal, the festival’s director, highlighted the quality of its program, which is designed to strengthen the city’s cultural fabric through diverse activities, bringing leading figures in the arts and literature to the general public. This third edition, he notes, “emphasizes its cross-cultural nature and the celebration of the word, with a lineup of guests covering film, literature, music, painting, and research.”

The FLEST program offers several events this very afternoon featuring prominent figures from the arts and literature. At 9:00 p.m., at the Mirador del Carmen, there will be a discussion with writer Rosa Montero. At 10:00 p.m., as part of the “Poets at the Lighthouse” section, author Marta Jiménez Serrano will take center stage.

To close out the day, at 11:00 p.m., there will be a talk titled “Pop Culture: All the Parties of Tomorrow,” led by Mario Vaquerizo and Topacio Fresh.

FLEST Award

The City Council will also present the FLEST Award to writer Enrique Vilas-Matas this Saturday at 9:00 p.m. This award recognizes the careers of creators who have successfully blurred the boundaries between literary genres and who, through experimentation, have helped propel contemporary literature into the future.

The artwork accompanying this award was designed by artist Juan Miguel Quiñones, who has reinterpreted some of the iconic ice creams that form part of his creative universe, crafting a unique piece that reflects the innovative spirit and forward-looking vision that inspire the Estepona Literary Festival.

Young Adult Literature and Poetry

The festival program runs throughout the weekend. Young adult literature will be represented by author Myriam M. Lejardi, who will open the day on Saturday, June 27, at 12:00 p.m. Following that event, thinkers Marta Peirano and Santiago Alba Rico will discuss the future and artificial intelligence in a talk titled “AI and Eternity: Who Wants to Live Forever?”

Also on this day, there will be a children’s workshop (which will be repeated on Sunday) titled “La casa por la ventana,” aimed at boys and girls ages 6 to 12. It will begin at 11:00 a.m.

In the evening, at 8:00 p.m., the spotlight will be on Málaga-born actress Belén Cuesta, who will speak about TV series and literature. At 9:00 p.m., it will be the turn of writer Enrique Vila-Matas, one of today’s most prominent European authors, whose work has been translated into 32 languages.

The poet and philologist Luis Alberto de Cuenca, winner of the 2015 National Poetry Prize and the 2025 Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry, will participate starting at 10:00 p.m. in the “Poets at the Lighthouse” section.

Singer Estrella Morente will close out this second day of FLEST at 11:00 p.m. with a concert/recital to be held outside the Cultural Center.

Final Day

A recital by poet and writer Sara Torres (12:00 p.m.) and the lecture “Franco: History and Memory,” presented by historian Julián Casanova (1:00 p.m.), will open the morning of Sunday, June 28.

In the evening, starting at 8:00 p.m., writer Paloma Sánchez-Garnica, winner of the Fernando Lara Novel Prize (2016) and the Planeta Prize (2024), will continue the festival’s program with the lecture “The Intimate and the Published.”

Journalist and writer Pedro Piqueras will bring the festival to a close with a conversation moderated by writer and producer Jacobo Bergareche.

The 3rd Estepona Literary Festival (FLEST) will once again feature a book fair, where guest authors will sign copies of their works after their presentations and the public will be able to purchase these and other titles.