Applications from the Canary Islands have doubled since the previous edition, with a total of 199 projects submitted
The artists selected for participation in the showcase performances will be notified on 15 September
The call for applications for the fourth edition of MAPAS, the South Atlantic Performing Arts Market, closed with submissions from 1,002 artists. Applications to participate in the showcase performances to be held from 14 to 18 December in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria were received from artists and representatives from 53 different countries in Latin America, Africa and Southern Europe.
A committee of prominent cultural figures will examine the applications and select the artists who will showcase their work at the event. The list of successful applicants will be published on 15 September. Once the list has been released, artists and groups from the various disciplines (music, theatre, dance, circus and street arts) will be able to schedule business meetings with programmers.
At a time when the cultural and creative industries are struggling to recover from the pandemic, MAPAS represents a landmark event on the international calendar and offers an opportunity for creators to establish collaborations and synergies to allow them to continue their work and promote their creations around the world. The applications received are evidence of significant interest among creators from the three continents in participating in MAPAS, which has become the main professional market for performing arts and live music in the South Atlantic.
The demand from groups and agencies in Africa remained stable compared to the previous edition, with 111 applications from 26 different countries, including Senegal, Morocco, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Nigeria in particular. Despite the crisis afflicting the international cultural sector, we also received 298 proposals from 14 Latin American countries, with large numbers of artists applying from Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.
A total of 524 applications were sent from Southern Europe (Spain and Portugal), representing an increase of 40% on the previous edition. There was also a sharp rise in applications from the Canary Islands, reflecting the immense talent in the performing arts sector on the islands and the persistence of artists and professionals in creating new projects and performing them to live audiences, despite the difficult circumstances. This year, 199 applications were submitted by artistic groups and agencies from Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, representing a 52% increase on the previous edition. The presence of local artists in the showcase events at MAPAS is sure to reflect the vibrancy of the music and performing arts scene on the Canary Islands.
69 proposals have also been registered by artists from Africa, Latin America and southern Europe residing in 11 other countries not included in the call, such as France, Italy, the United States or the United Kingdom, among others.
If we analyse the applications by discipline, musical projects are in the majority with 538 applications received. The number of performing arts applications rose considerably from 381 in the previous edition to 427 this year. Meanwhile, 37 booking, management and distribution agencies from 14 countries on the three continents have also registered for the event.
MAPAS has drawn interest from around the world, with an online community that continues to support the event and a strong social media presence. This year, 9,418 people follow MAPAS on Facebook, along with 7,990 on Instagram and 2,160 on Twitter. The event website and social networks are our main channel for communicating with artists, agencies, programmers and the public.
This fourth edition of MAPAS offers a valuable opportunity for growth for the professionals participating in the market and for Canarian residents and visitors to the islands, who will be able to enjoy live performances. The event will contribute to the gradual return to normal life on the islands after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
