The fifth edition of Cuerpos de Orgullo is underway in El Sauzal, bringing concerts, workshops, discussions, food events and plenty of space for conversations about body diversity.
The festival runs until 30 September at the Plaza del Príncipe and is being organised with the support of the Cabildo de Tenerife, El Sauzal Town Hall and artist Mogares Dôyan.
It is the third year the Cabildo has backed the event, which focuses on what organisers describe as aesthetic violence and fatphobia, while giving greater visibility to different bodies, appearances and identities.
A festival with something to say
The event was officially presented at the Cabildo de Tenerife, with Patricia León, the regional director of Equality and Diversity, joined by El Sauzal mayor Mariano Pérez and organiser Mogares Dôyan.
León highlighted the way appearance-based discrimination can affect people’s wellbeing and said festivals such as Cuerpos de Orgullo provide a space to discuss issues that can often become normalised.
Pérez also welcomed the festival to El Sauzal, pointing to the municipality’s commitment to tackling violence and discrimination against different groups.
Dôyan said holding the festival in a rural setting is part of the point. El Sauzal becomes a place where conversations around body diversity and fatphobia can take place outside the usual urban cultural spaces.
Art, music and food
The festival got underway on 18 September with a collective exhibition featuring work from more than eleven artists from the Canary Islands.
The main programme takes place on 25 and 26 September, with concerts, workshops, food tastings and other activities.
Artists appearing during the festival include Virgen, La Cangreja and DJ Triangals.
So there is plenty going on beyond the discussion side of things. Which is probably a good idea. Serious subjects are slightly easier to digest when there is some music and decent food involved.
Itziar Castro Awards
The festival will also host the Itziar Castro Awards, recognising people and organisations involved in challenging aesthetic violence and fatphobia.
This year’s recipients are Marcela Rodríguez, Delia Santana and Psicosalud Tenerife.
Cuerpos de Orgullo is funded by the Cabildo de Tenerife and El Sauzal Town Hall, with support from STV Gestión and CIT Nordeste de Tenerife.
The full programme and details of the individual activities are available through the El Sauzal Town Hall website.