- In its first edition in Castilla-La Mancha, DAR worked with nine female visual artists from the province of Cuenca.
- The presentation took place on Thursday, December 12 at 11 a.m. at the Museo Paleontológico de Cuenca.
Clara Albacete, director of the DAR Project (Dones Artistes Rurals / Women Rural Artists), presented the results of the project’s first edition in Castilla-La Mancha, which involved nine female visual artists from the province of Cuenca.
The presentation, held on Thursday, December 12 at 11 a.m. at the Museo Paleontológico de Cuenca, was attended by Carmen Teresa Olmedo, Deputy Minister of Culture, the project’s creator and director Clara Albacete, various public figures, as well as the artists participating in this edition.
During the event, the development of the project over the five months of work was presented. The participants received a training program for their professional development, promotion of their artistic careers, and support in building collaborative networks.
The nine artists were introduced: Andrea Cobo, Marta Díaz, Cristina Domínguez, Montserrat Herraiz, Elisabeth López, Andrea Montalbo, Ana Nieves Moya, Julia Toledo, and Gema Vicente. Finally, they shared their experiences and presented the three collaborative project proposals they developed during the program.
DAR was founded in 2020 in the Valencian Community, with the support of the Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana in collaboration with the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània. This pioneering project began its journey in 2021, focusing each edition on a different region.
To date, it has completed five editions in the Valencian Community, and in 2023 it expanded to Catalonia with two editions, thanks to Next Generation European funds and the support of the Diputación de Tarragona.
Now, DAR begins its work as a cultural accelerator in Castilla-La Mancha, supported by Next Generation European funds, where it will operate in the province of Cuenca until 2025.
The DAR project has received several recognitions, including Best Project of 2022 by AVVAC (Visual Artists of València, Alacant, and Castelló), and inclusion in the La Fábrica Cultural Observatory’s list of the best rural cultural projects in 2022 and 2023.
The initiative is also part of the good practice mappings of Culture and Ruralities from the Ministry of Culture and the National Rural Network of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
“The DAR project focuses on training for the professionalization of female visual artists and also supports the creation of associations. Our work makes sense when we see the results it generates. That’s why we continue to advocate for rural female visual artists to have opportunities for professional development, for public institutions to engage in supporting local talent, which ultimately results in economic growth.”
— Clara Albacete, creator and director of DAR.
