After to publicize the Gata'm cultural project and to complete its first annual concert cycle, the organization has presented Gata'm Fest 2026, the interdisciplinary festival that constitutes one of the three main pillars of the initiative along with the regular concert program and its educational aspect.
The following people participated in the press conference Pere Vicalet, Rosario Caselles, José Monfort and Elena Giner, members of Gata'm, along with Mayor of Gata de Gorgos, Toni Signes.
The programming related to this new phase of the project begins on September 10th with training activitieswhile the festival itself will concentrate its main programming From Thursday, September 17th to Sunday, September 20th, 2026For four days, different spaces in Gata de Gorgos will host sound installations, experimental concerts, percussion, audiovisual creation, participatory proposals and activities linked to the Development musical.
The program defines Gata'm Fest as a festival of The music experimental that will distribute its proposals between spaces such as the Guillem Agulló building, the Church square, the old football field-Parc de les Sorts, the Placeta del Tetuán and the Grup Escolar.
«Teixir arrels creatives» to connect innovation and municipality
The approach returns to the motto that has accompanied Gata'm since its inception: «teixir arrels creatives»An idea that combines the artisanal tradition of Gata de Gorgos with the desire to connect musicians with each other. associationsnew generations, heritage and contemporary artistic proposals.
Pere Vicalet explains that the project arose from the need to bring to the municipality music and concerts that its members have discovered during their professional careers outside of Gata, "but also from to provide young people who are studying with a possible role model, a place where they can perform works and learn about new music».
The concept of "weaving" directly relates to the artisanal identity of the municipality. "The concept of weaving also comes from wicker and llata (a type of reed). Gata is a town that has always been weaving and we want to weave through the crop and from music the entire social fabricThis intention extends to collaborations with entities and groups in the municipality, such as the Gata de Gorgos Motorcycle Club or the Commission of Partiesso that the artistic programming does not remain isolated from the daily life of the people.
The return of the talent that came out of Gata
The second concept upon which the project is built is rootedness. The organization aims to encourage those who have developed their musical or artistic careers elsewhere to also find in Gata de Gorgos a space to work, premiere projects, and reconnect professionally. The philosophy, as Vicalet summarized, consists precisely of "To create those roots from the village and get the people from here who have left to put down roots again, making that circuit continue to grow".
The third element, creativity, involves opening Gata up to new languages. The festival does not intend to specialize in a single genre, but rather to explore everything from sound installations and electronics experimental to pop-rock, percussion, art audiovisual or new composition techniques. "It may seem like we're talking about a typical festival, but it's nothing like that." We want a festival, a series, and some workshops eclectic"Vicalet pointed out."
The first concert series concludes with a positive outcome
Before presenting the festival, Rosario Caselles gave an overview of the first regular concert series organized during 2026, consisting of six performances. "We are very happy. A lot of people have come "And we have recovered some spaces where there had been no activity for a long time, such as the chapel, something that the public has greatly appreciated," he noted.
The cycle began precisely with students from the Professional Degree program at the Conservatory of Xàbia who needed to film the program for their graduation recital. The organization argues that this combination of established professionals and young musicians is part of the project's identity and its aim to serve as a platform for the entire region.
Opening with an installation to immerse yourself in the sounds of the Mediterranean
Gata'm Fest will officially open on Thursday September 17. A las 19:30h The institutional presentation of the festival and a wine reception are planned in the Guillem Agulló building.
A las 20:00h can be visited «Memories of water: Escoltant la Posidònia», an immersive sound installation created by Marina Mulet, Aina Zanoguera, Kim Taylor and Alba Vega MuletThe proposal evokes the underwater meadows of Posidonia oceanica on the Mediterranean coast through a sound experience of approximately 20 minutes and with limited capacity.
The facility will have different time slots during the four days and will require prior registration due to its capacity limitations, although Access will be free.
The mayor, Toni Signes, pointed to this installation as one of the proposals that surprised him the most: "Sounds are mixed and a space is created so that people can enjoy something different. These are techniques and proposals that those of us who are not part of that world were completely unaware of.».
Tractors and percussion to turn the rural landscape into music
El Friday, September 18 at 20:00 p.m. One of the most unique proposals of the entire program will arrive: «Ressonàncies de la Terra», a concert for tractors and percussion, with composition by Pablo Andrés and interpretation by Connecta Percussió.
The piece is a co-production between Gata'm and the El Cauce del Arte festival, with the collaboration of the Gata de Gorgos Motoclub Association. Tractors, trailers, steel sheets, and other metal materials will become part of a soundscape in dialogue with percussion instruments. The performance will take place at the the church square.
The work is also part of Gata'm ItinerantThe project aims to expand beyond Gata and establish exchanges with other regions and festivals. Pablo Andrés developed part of the creative process during a residency at Magalia Castle, linked to the Ministry of Culture. The piece has already been performed in Chulilla and will now arrive in Gata, incorporating tractor drivers from the municipality.
"We will relaunch it here with the Motoclub group from the town, with the tractor drivers and the elderly people. They are also very curious to know how they will follow a musical score and how they will solve it."Vicalet explained."
Percussion masterclasses to kick off Saturday's events
El Saturday 19 It will concentrate the largest number of activities. The morning will be dedicated to training with two percussion masterclasses in the Guillem Agulló building. 10:00h The orchestral percussion session will be taught with Guillem Serrano and Rafa Mayanswhile at 12:00h It will be the turn of Latin percussion with Nasari and Adrià Ribes.
Each masterclass costs 20 Euroswhile joint registration for both costs 30 EurosThe capacity is limited to encourage practical and personalized teaching. They are an example of the third leg of Gata'm: the education. musical.
A great concentration required to make dozens of drums sound at the same time
Starting at 17:30hThe former football field, Parc de les Sorts, will host Drums on Tour, an open gathering for drummers who can bring their own instrument and participate in the setup and collective rehearsal.
A las 19:30h The massive, free concert will take place, featuring dozens of drummers playing in a coordinated fashion. The event welcomes both acoustic and electric instruments and aims to attract percussionists from across the Marina Alta region.
The songs provisionally included in the repertoire are tracks associated with Coldplay, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, The Police, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Radiohead, Linkin Park, Guns N' Roses, The White Stripes, and Queen, among others.
For Toni Signes, this program also represents "an opportunity for the people of the town and the entire region to learn about what our young people are doing." "In the town we have Highly capable, highly professional people with exceptional skills, and we want to showcase them."The mayor asserted."
After the massive concert, at 21:30hThe Festival Committee will collaborate with a bar and dinner service in the old football field.
Gata'm Glitch brings digital error to audiovisual creation
The early hours of Saturday to Sunday will be dedicated to Gata'm GlitchAn audiovisual competition based on glitch aesthetics, a creative movement that uses distortion and digital errors as an artistic resource. The event will begin at 00:30h with live projections and experimental rhythms. The announced jury includes Marta Verde, Alba Vega, Marina Mulet, Pere Vicalet and Griffe Loner.
The presentation highlighted the presence of Marta Verde, who has ties to Berklee and the audiovisual industry, as well as that of the producer known artistically as Griffe Loner. The competition features a prize of 500 euros in the form of an artistic commission for the next editionso that the winner can develop a creation intended for the future cycle or festival.
Camina'm Concert will combine music and a tour of Gata
El Sunday September 20 It will begin with another proposal directly linked to the territory. 08:30h the route will begin «Arrels | Camina'm Concert» or 10:30h The concert will take place, starring Rosario Caselles on guitar and Celia Pedrós on flute.
The proposal combines a walk through the municipality with live music and part of the Tetuán SquareIt will also be a particularly significant collaboration because it will bring together two performers linked to Gata who have developed part of their careers outside the municipality.
Gata'm Creació: from learning to compose to premiering the pieces on stage
The festival's programming coexists with a broader educational aspect called Gata'm CreacióA professional development course focused on contemporary composition for flute and clarinet. The initiative is structured as follows: four meetings and combines an introduction to computer tools, analysis of new forms of composition, practical sessions with performers and individual tutoring.
José Monfort explained that the goal is to avoid a common problem in contemporary composition: a piece that might work in a computer program but be physically unfeasible for the performer. After the initial sessions, participants will receive individual mentoring and submit their compositions for consideration for future performances.
The ultimate goal is for the works that emerge from the pedagogical part arrive on stage during the concert series or a future edition of the festivalthus generating its own circuit between training, creation and interpretation.
"Gata will be the capital of musical innovation"
Toni Signes expressed the support of the Gata de Gorgos Town Council for the festival and offered special thanks to its organizers. The mayor highlighted the professionalism with which the team developed both the concert series and the festival, and noted the personal commitment of those responsible.
"They are doing it with great pleasure and They're putting their heart and soul into it, and everyone who visits us will notice.“,” he stated. Signes also expressed his gratitude that the members of Gata'm had decided to develop the project in their hometown, even though, given their professional background, they could have chosen municipalities or cities with better infrastructure.
The mayor went further in describing the scope he hopes the programming will have: "That weekend Gata is going to be, at the very least, the capital of musical innovation in the Valencian Country"And not only musical, but also visual and cultural."
