Under the slogan ‘Displacements: Scenes of Resistance’, this edition, held for the first time on the island, has attracted record numbers with nearly 230 registrants, 55 per cent of whom are from the Canary Islands.

The Director General of the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture, Paz Santa Cecilia; the Island Councillor for Culture, Museums and Sport of the Tenerife Island Council, José Carlos Acha; and the coordinator of the Conference on Inclusion in the Performing Arts, Eva García, today presented the 17th edition of this landmark event on inclusion, promoted by the INAEM, in the Salón Noble of the Palacio Insular in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The event will take place from 22 to 24 April, with the Auditorio de Tenerife serving as the main venue.

In addition, there will be activities at various venues across the city, such as Espacio La Granja, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA), the La Recova Art Centre and the Círculo de Bellas Artes, as well as activities in unconventional settings such as Tenerife II Prison and the San Matías neighbourhood in San Cristóbal de La Laguna. Under the slogan “Displacements: Scenes of Resistance”, this year’s programme focuses on migration, the diaspora and the challenges of cultural diversity in the performing arts and music.

José Carlos Acha stated, “Hosting this conference is very significant, as it is the first time it has taken place outside the mainland. One of the primary roles of culture is to promote participation through cohesion and inclusion.” The councillor also indicated, “These conferences will serve as a tool to inform cultural policies, steering them toward more inclusive performing arts and greater integration of cultures present on the islands. The Island Council is actively involved in the area of inclusivity and accessibility through various initiatives.” He further emphasised, “This edition is highly significant, marked by a record number of registrations.”

The Director General of the INAEM said she felt “enormous joy” at presenting this edition and thanked “the Island Council and the Auditorio de Tenerife for their support and commitment”. Santa Cecilia described the conference as “a landmark event to implement inclusive, community-based and mediation practices in the cultural sphere”, which has helped to foster “a new mindset, open-minded and willing to re-examine the relationship between culture and citizenship”. The Director General emphasised the “special focus on the social fabric” that the conference fosters and noted that “the Canary Islands offer a highly relevant perspective due to their multicultural nature”. She also highlighted a conclusion: “We have reached over 17 years of the conference: inclusion is not achieved once and for all, but is a journey on which much remains to be done”.

Eva García shared the key to this edition: “thinking of the conference as an inclusive mechanism in itself, an idea to which the Auditorio de Tenerife has fully embraced”. The coordinator explained the preparatory work carried out in the Canary Islands to analyse the state of the performing arts, not only from an institutional perspective, with the support of the Island Councils and the Canary Islands Government, but also from a collective and social standpoint. “That is why there is such diversity in the conference’s participation; the preparatory work has been very enriching, and we have managed to bring the INAEM closer to the sector at a local level,” reflected García, who highlighted the flexibility and openness of the conference, as “we have set aside a space for the public in all the activities”.

This edition is historic, as it is held for the first time on the islands and has seen record participation: nearly 230 registered attendees—55% from the Canary Islands and 45% from the mainland—and 120 speakers and artists. A new aspect this year is the establishment of a technical committee comprising various local organisations, an initiative designed to foster deeper engagement with the region—a first in the event’s history. This committee has coordinated aspects concerning inclusion, accessibility, education, and mediation over recent months.

Community participation and Canarian organisations

This edition features more events than before, combining artistic creation and reflection to impact society. Activities include seven performances, five forums, six workshops, two documentary screenings, six project presentations from the “In the Spotlight” section, and a new mentoring programme with leading professionals from the sector, one of the 2026 programme’s new features.

Organised by the INAEM and the Tenerife Island Council- Auditorio de Tenerife, in collaboration with the Network of Theatres and Auditoriums, the conference also benefits from the support of the Government of the Canary Islands, the University of La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, the British Council, Apropa Cultura, the Association of Performing Arts Distribution and Management Companies (ADGAE), Sinpromi, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes and the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Tenerife. Furthermore, the acknowledgements section includes organisations such as La Montaña (San Matías Neighbourhood Association), La Laguna City Council, the Island Councils of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions of the Ministry of the Interior and the Cultural Rights Plan.

Community, roots and belonging

The programme opens on Wednesday at 4:45 pm with “La Placita”, featuring five short works by Canarian artists outside the Auditorio de Tenerife. At 9:00 pm, Mozambican Converge+ Dance Company presents “Vagabundus,” a piece exploring community and belonging. The Auditorium will also premiere the contemporary opera “Bluebeard’s Castle,” addressing identity and memory.

The main day of the festival will take place on Thursday (23rd) and feature several performances addressing displacement from different perspectives. These include “Preso en la esperanza” (Prisoner of Hope), by Palestinian artist Nabil Al-Raee in collaboration with Spanish creators, which analyses narratives surrounding forced displacement, and “Mahmud y no solo Mahmud” (Mahmud and Not Only Mahmud), by Puntocero Company, which gives voice to the migrant experience through the language of theatre and music.

The audio-visual section will include a screening at the TEA of the documentary “El canto de las manos” (The Song of the Hands), directed by María Valverde, focusing on the experience of deaf musicians, as well as another screening for inmates at Tenerife II Prison, in line with the conference’s commitment to inclusion in diverse contexts.

The artistic programme will be rounded off at Espacio La Granja on the closing day (Friday 24th) with events such as the showcase of Canarian verse and troubadours, “Versos diversos” (Miscellaneous verses), featuring local artists from diverse backgrounds, and “Polígono” (Polygon), a piece of documentary and community theatre.

Alongside the performing arts programme, the festival will offer spaces for reflection under the title “From rehearsal to performance”, where professionals and participants will discuss issues such as contemporary mobility, diversity in programming, overlooked heritage and methodologies for working with migrants. The “DAD” (Expanded Dimensions of Dance) method, developed by the Canarian choreographer Martín Padrón, will also be presented.

The full programme for the 17th Inclusion Conference can be viewed at:https://inclusioninaem.inaem.gob.es/jornada/2026/