Friday 26 September 2025: 09.45 – 17.30, Barcelona.
This event has ended.
To complement La Mercè
International Street Arts Meetings are an official Mondiacult Side Event #MONDIACULT2025; arts and cultural professionals are invited to attend a day of panel discussions and International Street Arts Meetings, organised by La Mercè-ICUB, Manchester City Council, XTRAX, Without Walls, ICEC-Catalan Arts, British Council, Unlimited and SDE with the support of the British Embassy.
Agenda: Friday 26 September from 10:30 to 17:00
The moderator for the day was Clàudia Brufau,
Fri 26 Sept 2025: 10.30 – 12.00
Street Arts Festivals as a vehicle for community engagement: giving visibility to cultural communities in public space
In the midst of the world famous Mercè festival, as artists and citizens take to the streets in a uniquely Catalan celebration, this discussion reflected on the role of outdoor festivals as a way of bringing communities together. An international panel considered how outdoor festivals can give visibility to different cultural communities, the impact of these events and what resources are needed to make them happen.
Guest speakers:
Dave Moutrey – Chair – Director of Culture, Manchester City Council
Liz Pugh, Co-founder & Creative Producer, Walk the Plank, Manchester
Parmjit Sagoo, Executive Producer, Inspirate & An Indian Summer, UK
Jordi Duran, Merce Arts de Carrer Festival Artistic Directorate
and Marta Vallejo, ORDIT project on culture, education and territory at Fabra i Coats
Fri 26 Sept: 12.00 – 13.00
Artist presentations and pitches – a diverse artistic community
A selection of artists from England and Catalonia presented their projects and discussed their work.
Fri 26 Sept: 13.00 – 15.00
Networking Lunch
Fri 26 Sept: 15.00 -16.30
Disabled led arts in the public space and its impact on cultural rights*
*Part of the extended programme Towards MONDIACULT 2025 in the framework of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development.
Building on the presentations of integrated companies from the UK and Catalonia during La Mercè in Barcelona, this roundtable provided a space to spark further discussion and reflection on the impact that free, outdoor events have on the cultural rights agenda and our responsibility in continuing to drive this forward.
With a particular focus on disability, we explored the public realm as a space that democratises access to culture and provides a powerful platform for representation, active engagement and artistic freedom.
Guest speakers:
Lorena Martínez Mier – Chair – Project Manager, Europe Beyond Access II
Nadenh Poan and Lucy Glover, Stopgap Dance Company, UK
Beatriz Liebe, L’altre Festival Director
Photo requested.
Clàudia Cedó, Escenaris Especials
Bradley Hemmings, Artistic Director, Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, UK
Panel discussions will be in English and Catalan, with simultaneous translation services.
Thursday 25 September 2025: 10.30 – 14:00, Barcelona.
UNLIMITED CONNECTs BARCELONA
Unlimited presented a special event to introduce its work and that of selected disabled artists to cultural professionals.
- Introduction to Unlimited and its work
- Presentations from disabled artists
This event has ended. To find out more about the work of Unlimted, please contact Bron Davies bron@weareunlimited.org.uk
Funders and Supporters
La Mercè is delivered by ICUB/Barcelona City Council
The programme for Manchester as Guest City is led by XTRAX and Without Walls.
The music programme is presented by Manchester Music City, led by Brighter Sound.
Supported by Manchester City Council, Arts Council England and Unlimited
In collaboration with ICEC/Catalan Arts, British Council and British Embassy in Spain.
Part of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development: Towards MONDIACULT 2025.
