2025 FINALISTS OF THE 'CERVEZAS ALHAMBRA' EMERGING ART AWARD • 24/7 Valencia

The Emerging Art Award presented by ‘Cervezas Alhambra’ is an award established as a reference in the Spanish cultural scene, recognizing the talent of upcoming artists who source their inspiration from craftsmanship. This year, two Valencian artists have been selected as finalists.

With recent finalists announced, Gema Polanco, and her project, “She Returned from the Forest with Her Body Full of Beautiful Melodies”, and Carles Terrasó, with his work “Alcublas” are the two proud Valencians who are among the finalists recognized. They are two of fifteen finalists chosen this year, although over 100 artists submitted projects, all highlighting techniques such as embroidery, ceramics, glasswork, and wood carving.

This award is more than just an award to artists around Spain. It encourages participants to perform under the “Without Hurry” philosophy to promote works of art that focus on detail and quality. Since its beginning in 2017, the award has been known to bring together emerging artists with expert artisans, bridging the gap between tradition and innovation. The Emerging Art award reaffirms Cervezas Alhambra’s commitment to creativity, respect for the process, and mindful enjoyment, as they continue to apply these fundamentals to their brewing of high-quality beers across decades.

2025 marks the ninth edition of the award, but the prize announcement celebrates a significant change in the competition’s dynamics this year. In previous years, the winning piece has been displayed at Cervezas Alhambra’s space at ARCOmadrid, a patronage project highlighting the connection between craftsmanship and contemporary art. Instead, an international jury will select the most deserving project to present the artwork at the next edition of the contemporary art fair in 2026.

Cervezas Alhambra will participate in “A Very Welcoming Lunch” space, decided by Studio MO, where visitors can still view previous finalists’ works from the Cervezas Alhambra Emerging Art Award from 2018 to the present. This will allow the opportunity to view this year’s finalists’ work alongside previous years, since they will no longer be displayed at ARCOmadrid.

Report by Anna Willerer