The “Niu Festival” sees the rise of emerging artists in Sant Martí Vell

The Niu Festival celebrated its first edition on June 8, 2024, in Sant Martí Vell. This inaugural edition stood out for its multidisciplinary emerging programming, which included music, photography, theater, dance, circus, audiovisual, multimedia, illustration, and painting. The Niu Festival and the streets of Sant Martí Vell provided visibility to emerging talents, contributing to the decentralization of culture and bringing it closer to new spaces.

The festival was born as a final degree project idea by Júlia Aleu, a final-year student of the Degree in Audiovisual and Multimedia Communication at the ERAM School of Arts – UdG, and is now a festival that has become a reality.

Aleu convincingly explains the reason behind a festival in Sant Martí Vell and for emerging artists: “I am young myself and I love art; I have friends who are artists and I see how they try to start a profession from their art, and some end up giving up. I want to provide a space where they can showcase their art and reach people in the sector who can help them take flight. That’s why, at the Niu Festival, there was the +Niu section, where a round table was held, and professionals from the artistic and cultural sector were invited. […] I couldn’t imagine celebrating the festival anywhere other than Sant Martí Vell. It’s the village where I have lived since I was little and where I have organized and helped set up festivals all my youth. It’s a small village surrounded by nature that is very welcoming, almost like a nest where you feel safe and embraced. The atmosphere created during the festival, with the village’s three unique squares filled with artists and visitors, surrounded by nature, would have been impossible in an urban environment. For the visitors, it was a moment to enjoy the surroundings and the beauty of the village, as well as the ambiance, enthusiasm, and novelties of the artists around them.”

Robert Vilà, mayor of Sant Martí Vell, expresses his joy at seeing the village being the nest for emerging artists: “What a joy to see Sant Martí Vell acting as a nest for these emerging artists, from where they can start their professional careers with such a warm welcome as we see today.”

To kick off the festival, a round table on the theme “How do we communicate? New audiences, new perspectives” was held, moderated by Marc Güell, a journalist from the Matí de Catalunya Ràdio team and collaborator with various media in Osona. The panelists included Núria Surrell, journalist, cultural communicator, and social media manager, Sandra Costa, founder and director of La Costa Comunicació, and Pau Güell, a specialist in musical and cultural digital marketing.

At 12 pm, the festival opened to the public, and until 12 am, around a thousand spectators passed through the six spaces where the shows and exhibitions of the 49 participating artists were held. The atmosphere was filled with ideas, emotions, talent, art, and festivity.

Aleu expresses her eagerness to repeat the festival: “The nest is waiting for new artists ready to take flight!”

Image descriptions from the Niu Festival:

1. Painter Júlia Porta’s booth, showcasing her series “Figures de llum”. Photo by Enric Casals.
2. Theater play “Si jo fos un peix” with authors and creators Guilligan Dionisio and Pol Toro, at the Church Square of Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Enric Casals.
3. Mariona Jaume and Maya Triay performing the contemporary dance duo “S’albufera” at the Church Square. Photo by Enric Casals.
4. The Clariana Company performing the live arts piece “A Pols” at the Small Square on Carrer de Baix in Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Enric Casals.
5. Singer Ainoa Galí’s concert, showcasing her latest musical project “Jaja jeje jiji joju” at the Village Square of Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Enric Casals.
6. Exhibition “Blevs Boards” by Joan Blavia, at the Church Square of Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Mariona Elias.
7. Exhibition “El fons marí” by Eva Forest, at the street of Carrer dels Àngels in Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Mariona Elias.
8. Visitor observing an artwork exhibited on Carrer dels Àngels in Sant Martí Vell. Photo by Mariona Elias.
9. Júlia Aleu, creator of the Niu Festival, welcomes spectators, artists, and professionals before the start of the Niu Festival. Photo by Joan Thió.
10. The panelists and moderator of the round table “How do we communicate? New audiences, new perspectives”, held during +Niu. From left to right, Marc Güell, Sandra Costa, Pau Güell, and Núria Surrell. Photo by Joan Thió.