In the first edition under the renewed artistic direction, led by Joan Rial, Jordi Casadesús and Rubèn Pujol, more than 1,200 professionals placed their trust in the project by actively engaging in the proposed activities.
39% of the professionals took part in the Mercat de Música Viva de Vic for the first time, confirming the good health of the professional fair.
Most professionals still come from all over Catalonia (72%), while attendance from the rest of Spain (18%) and other foreign countries (10%) has increased.
Around fifty of the international professionals came from this year’s focus countries: France, Italy, and Portugal.
The Church of Els Dolors – one of the new venues hosting showcases – recorded large audiences, with sold-out concerts in most cases.
The Brindis, MMVV’s new networking activity, debuted with great success among professionals.
Rocío Márquez, with a proposal blending flamenco, classical and experimental music, headlined Wednesday’s opening concert, selling out all tickets.
After three days of professional activities, MMVV expands throughout the city until Sunday, bringing back the closing concert at Plaça Major with Mishima.
In total, the 37th edition will have hosted 72 concerts, including 38 premieres of albums, tours, live shows, or projects, and 6 co-productions or collaborations with other institutions or festivals.
The Mercat de Música Viva de Vic concludes today three days dedicated to industry professionals –MMVV Pro Catalan Arts– marking the beginning of a new chapter. In this first edition under the new artistic direction –formed by Joan Rial, Jordi Casadesús, and Rubèn Pujol– 1,257 professionals placed their trust in the project and actively participated in the proposed innovations.
The fair once again proved its pulling power, with 39% of professionals attending for the first time. This figure confirms MMVV’s vitality and reinforces the event as an essential meeting point for music industry stakeholders.
Organised by the Vic City Council and the Department of Culture of the Generalitat, through the Catalan Institute for Cultural Companies (ICEC), MMVV Pro Catalan Arts has continued to attract a large number of professionals from all over Catalonia, eager to discover proposals that will shape the upcoming season. In total, 904 (72%) came from Catalonia, joined by 226 (18%) from the rest of Spain and 126 (8%) from abroad.
To continue the lines of work initiated in recent editions, the artistic direction has decided that this year, and for the next three years, the international focus will be on Portugal, France, and Italy, which were featured in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions respectively. As a result of this work, around 50 accredited professionals came from these countries.
Germany, Andorra, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, Turkey, the United States, and China made up the rest of the 126 international professionals who travelled to Vic to discover leading proposals from the Southern European music scene.
At the national level, 226 programmers from 13 autonomous communities took part in the professional fair: Andalusia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Ceuta, Community of Madrid, Valencian Community, Basque Country, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Murcia, and Navarre.
Positive reception of new initiatives
Maintaining once again its goal of creating networking opportunities between professionals, boosting the live music sector, contributing to the industry’s dynamism, and promoting artist bookings, MMVV Pro Catalan Arts concentrated its professional and showcase activities around L’Atlàntida, while slightly expanding into nearby areas of the city centre.
One of the most notable changes was the addition of a new showcase venue, the Church of Els Dolors. Taking advantage of Vic’s more than 30 churches, the artistic direction chose this space to host 8 eclectic, small-format concerts located at the margins of the main programme. The inclusion of this venue surprised programmers, with most concerts selling out.
MMVV Pro Catalan Arts also launched a new activity: the Brindis. These were informal networking sessions between companies and artists attending MMVV Pro Catalan Arts, providing a close setting to present new projects. Overall, they were very well received, with some attendees unable to get in due to limited capacity.
Once again, during the three days of professional programming, 618 speed meetings and 90 pitchings were held, fostering direct contact between artists, managers, programmers, festivals, and institutions.
Artistic programme
In addition to the professional activity, up to Friday MMVV offered a diverse artistic programme that consolidates its role as a space for discovery and promotion of new talent. The combination of concerts, premieres, and unique projects turned Vic into the epicentre of live music.
As the weekend arrives, concerts spread across the city, with two new stages opening at Plaça de la Catedral and the Church of la Pietat. These spaces will feature free concerts open to the general public.
The already iconic stages of Plaça Major Estrella Damm, featuring big names from the Catalan scene, and El Sucre will also open: Friday night dedicated to the new scene linked to feminist and LGTBIQ+ movements, and Saturday to electronic music.
On the final day, Sunday, MMVV brings back the closing concert, with Mishima headlining in a gesture of appreciation to the city and recognition of the band’s career.
Making MMVV possible
The Mercat de Música Viva de Vic takes place thanks to the involvement of the public institutions that promote and support it: the City Council of Vic through the Organisme Autònom de Fires i Mercats (OFIM) and the Generalitat de Catalunya through ICEC. Also, the Ministry of Culture through INAEM, and the Diputació de Barcelona through ODA.
It is also made possible thanks to the sponsorship and support of private companies such as Estrella Damm, main sponsor, and Vera, technology sponsor, along with a number of other companies and institutions that collaborate with and support MMVV.
