A Festival that Resounds with the Heart of Culture and Community
The Music4Coop Fest has concluded, leaving an echo of harmony and commitment to cultural heritage in the city of Cáceres. For three vibrant days, the Wazo Coop community came together in the spirit of cooperation and musical innovation to explore and celebrate the impact of music in heritage revitalisation.
Day One: Capacity Building and Sharing Passion
The Capacity Building Sessions opened the festival, setting a tone of innovation and learning. This was a space to share ideas and strengthen our community, with the aim of building a collaborative musical future. The ‘Social Music’ Exhibition demonstrated the power of music as a tool for social change, while in #CoopStories, the voice of Alberto Flores, coordinator of the Contemporary Music Series at the Vostell Museum in Malpartida, celebrated its 25th edition, bringing an avant-garde perspective to our understanding of musical art. The day concluded with each aspiring Music Cooperator sharing their story of cooperation in Music4 Coop.
Day Two: Valuing Heritage through Cooperation From the innovation and entrepreneurship space
Aldealab, formed by the Garage 2.0 – Embarcadero, we started the day with a guided tour through the history and culture of Cáceres. The institutional reception enlightened us on the current work in cooperation and heritage valorisation, preparing the Music Cooperators for the challenge of enriching our heritage through music. The afternoon came alive with a hackathon that overflowed with creativity and innovation, leading to the formation of cooperatives focused on revitalising emblematic spaces through culture and music.
Day Three: Thinking about the Future and Celebrating the Present
The final day’s Think Tank addressed the theme ‘Music for sustainable rural heritage’. Here, music cooperators collaborated with local stakeholders to create European cooperation consortia, focusing on sustainable development through music. The culmination of the festival came with the Social Music Concert, where the compositions of Marta Lozano Molano and the talent of outstanding instrumentalists created an atmosphere of communion and joy. Finally, we proclaimed the Music4Coop Manifesto, which defines our commitment to musical cooperation for sustainable development.
Music4Coop Fest has been more than an event; it has been a confirmation that music is a language that can transform communities, connect cultures and revitalise our most cherished heritage. As we say goodbye to this edition, we take with us the inspiration and determination to keep music as a pillar of our work at Wazo Coop.
Thank you to everyone who joined, cooperated and shared their passion and vision. The chords of Music4Coop Fest will continue to sound, reminding us that together, we are the melody of change.
