What are your main responsibilities in your current role?
Like many cultural professionals, I work across several fields, and I like it that way. As Artistic Director of FLORA International Flower Festival, my main role is to develop the programme and content of a festival that brings audiences closer to botany and floral art through a transversal and contemporary perspective. In addition to selecting the artists, I am involved in the conceptualisation and coordination of the activities that, over 10 days, fill Córdoba with floral installations, music, performing arts, talks and more.
What has been your professional journey to where you are today, and what were the biggest challenges you faced?
I have been fortunate enough to work in the cultural sector since my very first job, which was at a film production company. After graduating in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Navarra, I completed a Master’s degree in Cultural Management at the Complutense University of Madrid in 2000, at a time when the role of a cultural manager was still not very well understood…
I spent eight years working at La Fábrica, which was my training ground, and from there I embarked on a freelance career, which I have continued ever since. If you are fortunate enough to be able to make a living from it, I find it preferable to being employed. It forces you to reinvent yourself time and again, and there is something inherently creative about change… The greatest challenge is precisely that: being able to adapt to each project and situation, evolve, and grow.
How do you stay inspired and up to date in a constantly evolving field? What platforms do you use to stay informed?
As for the cultural scene and what’s on offer, I keep up to date through newsletters, social media, the press, conversations with friends… I stay informed very naturally; it doesn’t feel like a chore because it’s what I enjoy.
What skills or qualities do you consider fundamental to your success in the cultural sector?
Curiosity, versatility and reading. The first leads you to discover new possibilities, both for the content of your work and for career opportunities. The second is key to navigating the sector as it stands today. The last one is often overlooked, but it is probably the foundation of everything: although today’s pace of life seems determined to prevent us from doing so, those of us working in culture need to keep deepening our knowledge. I know this may sound old-fashioned, almost boomer, but I am convinced it is essential.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in the cultural world?
I would encourage them to immerse themselves as much as possible in the cultural offerings available to them, both in person and digitally. You no longer have to live in a major capital to keep up with what is happening in the sector, and it is one of the best forms of training.
If they are certain that this is what they want, I would tell them to go for it wholeheartedly. Not to be afraid of pursuing what they want, because sometimes even the most firmly closed doors can open, and you may eventually find yourself working in the place you always dreamed of.
But I would also tell them to remember that it is possible to make a living doing something else while enjoying culture as an audience member. Sometimes, in fact, you enjoy it even more…