More than 2,200 entries for the VI International Poetry Prize ‘Ciudad de Estepona’.

The jury’s decision will be announced on May 7 at a gala to be held at the Felipe VI Auditorium, where the famous singer Lole Montoya will perform.

The City Council of Estepona reports that more than 2,200 works opted for the VI International Poetry Prize ‘City of Estepona’. In this edition, books have been submitted from all Spanish provinces and almost all Latin American countries. In addition, as has happened in previous years, originals in Spanish have also been received from other countries such as Canada, Japan, Jordan, United States, China, Australia, France, England, Portugal and Germany, among others.

The jury’s decision will be announced on May 7 at a gala event to be held at the Felipe VI Auditorium at 8 p.m. In this activity, which will be free of charge, there will be a meeting with Laura García Lorca, director of the Federico García Lorca Foundation and niece of our most universal poet.

In addition, the gala will continue with a flamenco concert by Lole Montoya, who together with Manuel Molina, formed the legendary duo ‘Lole y Manuel’ in 1975. The first album they recorded, ‘Nuevo Día’, marked a milestone in Spanish music and laid the foundations for the new flamenco. Throughout her career, Lole has promoted gypsy culture through her music and has collaborated with prominent artists such as Camarón de la Isla and Raimundo Amador, among others. In the 1990s, after the separation of Lole and Manuel, she continued her solo career, exploring new styles that fused flamenco with Arabic and gospel influences. His voice, which even formed part of one of the soundtracks of the American director Quentin Tarantino, is unmistakable and he is currently recording a new album in which he will pay tribute to great figures of music that inspire him.

Invitations to attend the May 7 gala can be picked up starting Monday, April 27, at the Padre Manuel Cultural Center and at the Contemporary Cultures Library of the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center.

The winning book of poems will receive a prize of 7,000 euros and will be published by the publishing house Pre-Textos.

On the other hand, it should be noted that on May 7 the City Council will celebrate Poetry Day in Estepona with two other cultural activities.

At 13.00 hours, the Concert Hall of the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center will host a recital by poets Felipe Benitez Reyes, Aurora Luque and Miriam Reyes. Admission to this event will be free until full capacity.

Later, at 18.00 hours, the exhibition space of the Castillo de San Luis will be the scene of a poetry recital by the singer and songwriter ‘La Bien Querida’. To attend this activity, those interested should register by emailing bcc@estepona.es.

Ana Fernández-Villaverde, ‘La Bien Querida’, has a long and established musical career since 2009, when she released her first album ‘Romancero’. Since then, she has played in the most important festivals in the country such as Primavera Sound or Sónar Barcelona, and the specialized critics have supported her with each album for her unique and personal way of telling and singing about life and love. She also stands out for her collaborations with great artists such as Los Planetas or Diego Ibáñez of Carolina Durante, as well as for her participation in countless soundtracks for series and films.