Diversity València Festival was officially presented today in the capital of Valencia (June 1st)

With an exclusive international presence still to be confirmed, the team of the Festival to be held from 21 to 23 July at the ‘Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències’ has presented its first edition at a press conference held at the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània.

Diversity València will feature more than 50 musical performances and 3 exclusive shows in Spain, with concerts by Armin van Buuren, Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, H.E.R., Iggy Pop, Måneskin, Martin Garrix, Nicki Nicole and Ozuna, among others.

Dekúbito Prono and the Supinos will star in the most inclusive and unusual concert of the Festival. The band made up of members living with cerebral palsy will perform their special Tribute to the 50th anniversary of AVAPACE.

The presentation was attended by the director of the Centre del Carme, José Luis Pérez Pont; the regional secretary of Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, Francesc Colomer; the director of the Festival Diversity València, Jesús Lumbreras; the event’s Director of Communications, Mar Gallego; and the local brand manager of Vibra Mahou, Joana Alonso Dal Monte.

From 21 to 23 July, the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències will witness an unprecedented programme that will host renowned artists and exclusive shows in Spain. Three large stages and several clubs inside the spectacular venue are committed to giving València a window of access to international music scene at this great event.

The festival also aims to be a place for social awareness and diversity as a transversal axis through music. This was confirmed by the Festival’s director, Jesús Lumbreras, who stressed the importance of festivals as a natural tool for social inclusion and transformation, and how the axis of diversity can have an impact on this through cultural, artistic and musical events.

Thus, in future editions, Diversity València Festival will address other disciplines that will be incorporated into this festive cocktail of social awareness that will go beyond the musical celebration.

Lumbreras highlighted the heterogeneous and unique nature of a Festival that is committed to a different concept. The very excuse of diversity, he pointed out, leads to breaking the usual rules for events of these characteristics.

Mar Gallego, the event’s Director of Communication, once again emphasised the heterogeneity of the musical genres present and described the line-up as transgressive, committed, iconic and intergenerational, without ever losing sight of the commitment to the highest musical quality.

For his part, the regional secretary for Tourism of the Comunitat Valenciana, Francesc Colomer, stressed that “the success of a festival is always aligned with the city that hosts it, its image and the people who organise it, and here they have managed to hit on the right emotions”. He also stressed the importance of music festivals. Along these lines, he stressed that “the world without festivals would be a sadder and more tedious place” and in this sense he pointed out that “the world will be a kinder and happier place after Diversity, because this is a festival with values, born with authenticity, love, freedom and beauty”.

Likewise, the director of the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània, Jose Luis Pérez Pont, stressed that the institution wants to “give a voice to all those initiatives that promote diversity and plurality in any of its fields. We are known for supporting young and transgressive proposals capable of making the public reflect, which is why we are delighted to be part of the Diversity Festival by hosting its presentation”, he added.

Also present at the event was the Local Brand Manager of Vibra Mahou, Joana Alonso Dal Monte. As a brand sponsor of the international Festival, Alonso stressed that for Mahou, encounters between people are essential for a better life. In this sense, its Brand Manager pointed out that Vibra Mahou -the music platform of Mahou Cinco Estrellas-, joins the great festival of diversity, bringing artists and audiences together and promoting unique experiences to live unforgettable encounters around live music.

Måneskin, Iggy Pop, Christina Aguilera and more

The full programme includes such eagerly awaited performances as that of the fashionable band Måneskin, who will star in one of the few full concerts that the Italian group will give in our country in 2022. The legendary godfather of punk, Iggy Pop, plus Black Eyed Peas, H.E.R. (in his first time in Spain with an exclusive performance for the Festival), OZUNA, Nicki Nicole, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix and AURORA are some of the most eagerly awaited international appearances at the big event.

Also an exclusive concert by Koffee, Jamaican singer, rapper and DJ. Winner of the Grammy for the best reggae album. The only woman in history and the youngest person to win this award.

In addition to the performances on the main stages, 18 DJs will star in various live and electronic DJ sets with international and national presences that will take place in two of the indoor clubs that host the Festival. The MYA CLUB and MYA EXPERIENCE spaces will feature alternating performances of the Diversity Up Sessions from 19:00h until 02:00 in the morning. Among them, DJ sets by Gary Powell (from The Libertines), Dave Rowntree (from Blur) or Simon Rix and Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines (from Kaiser Chiefs).

In total, a programme with more than 50 musical shows over 3 days and 3 exclusive shows that will be completed, as announced by the Festival team, with the new confirmation that will be made public in the next few days and that will consist of a unique concert by an international star.

AVAPACE Tribute

Also at the presentation of the Festival, the AVAPACE Tribute to be performed by the Valencian band Dekúbito Prono and the Supinos was announced. A short tribute concert to the Valencian Cerebral Palsy Aid Association, which is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2022 after an extensive career as a company and support for many people.

For this, the most musical initiative that the Association has at the moment in which people with cerebral palsy join together in the form of a band under the name Dekúbito Prono and the Supinos is incorporated into the line up.

A brief but warm performance on the same stage where the Rising Stars (artists from the Comunitat) and the performances of different transitional DJs will parade. Music and encounter as a means of expression and healing in the Festival that celebrates differences.

The presentation ceremony ended with a performance by the Valencian artist Sandra Monfort -who will also perform at the Festival- and an aperitif courtesy of Vibra Mahou.

Tickets for the Diversity València Festival can be purchased both at See Tickets and on the festival’s own website: https://diversityvalencia.es/

Report by 24/7 Valencia team

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’