The most recent course saw enrolment of 177 students
The graduation ceremony of the 2024–25 Escuelas de Teatro (Theatre Schools) was held at the Auditorio de Tenerife. In this most recent course, a total of 177 students received training through the initiative.
Vice President of the Island Council, Lope Afonso, reminded the students in attendance that they are an essential part of Tenerife’s culture and went on to express his support for such initiatives. ‘I believe in the rewards of a bottom-up approach to culture, especially when a beneficial connection is involved, such as the collaboration with local governments that makes these initiatives possible,’ he explained.
Afonso pointed out that the students graduating this year had acquired skills that they could apply throughout their lives in a society where there is too much immediacy and too little reflection. He concluded by saying that the regional minister of Culture, José Carlos Acha, had targeted the democratisation of culture during his term and that achieving this target would only be possible with the collaboration of those who had benefited from initiatives such as the theatre course and its graduates.
José Carlos Acha said, ‘In the 2024–25 course, 20 groups have practised theatre in 10 municipalities of Tenerife’. He added that the programme was made possible by the coordinated efforts of town councils and went on to acknowledge these efforts before the representatives of the municipal governments of Adeje, Arona, Candelaria, El Rosario, El Sauzal, Fasnia, Guía de Isora, La Laguna, La Orotava, and Tegueste.
Acha also extended words of acknowledgement to the teachers of the theatrical courses, Miguel Ángel Batista, Davinia Dévora, Francisco Gómez, Sigrid Ojel-Jaramillo, and Víctor Torres, as well as to the coordinator, Martha Quiñones.
The councillors for the Culture of Candelaria (Manuel González), El Rosario (Jennifer Torres), El Sauzal (Eusebio Castillo), Fasnia (Jorgina Felipe), La Laguna (Ruimán Adrián del Castillo) and Tegueste (Candelaria García) were also present at the ceremony. All expressed their appreciation of the Island Council’s involvement in this initiative and the efforts made by the students’ families to take part in the activities.
The classes of the Escuelas de Teatro (Theatre Schools) were held over the school year at educational and cultural centres. Children, youth and adults received theatre training for the purpose of developing a finer appreciation of artistic endeavours and to contribute to the cultural development of the social environment.
The 2024-25 course has focused on learning through projects, allowing students to assimilate theatrical tactics and content more dynamically. Through these projects, students have developed skills and abilities within a group environment.
The ‘Escuelas de Teatro’ (Theatre Schools) have aimed to provide students with key resources useful for all age groups and contexts, allowing students to act as creators and teachers as facilitators who guide creative processes in classrooms. The goal of the drama schools is not the interpretation of an end-of-course performance but the training of students so that they may acquire skills and knowledge that may be used professionally or in everyday life.