The Valencian Executive chaired by the popular Carlos Mazón has allocated one million euros to the professional association of the promoter of the festival “Som de la Terreta”, financed in turn by 3.3 million from the Generalitat through a special contract and urgent. This is the Association of Promoters of Major Music Festivals of the Valencian Community (ProFest), beneficiary of a collaboration agreement with the Consell signed by Nuria Montes, Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, in October 2023, a few months after the inauguration. of the Executive of Carlos Mazón.
The promoters’ association, led by music entrepreneur David Sánchez, includes three events (Festival de les Arts, FIB and Low Festival) promoted by The Music Republic, the organizing company of the October 9 concerts. For the rest, ProFest also represents the promoters of Arenal Sound, Medusa and Rototom.
The association’s latest annual accounts, corresponding to the 2023 financial year, are signed by David Sánchez Sotillos himself, the famous promoter of summer festivals. In addition, the entity shares its headquarters with the companies The Music Republic SL and Iron Stage SL, the latter having obtained sponsorship of 3.3 million and in which Sánchez Sotillos appears as proxy.
The agreement aimed to promote projects related to the smart festival model to improve competitiveness and “different actions for the transformation of the musical tourism product of the Valencian Community into a smart festival, under the Mediterranew Fest brand”.
Sources from the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism confirmed to elDiario.es that the association has justified the destination of the investments in the collaboration agreement. The same year, the association of promoters of medium-sized festivals received 680,000 euros (which it eventually returned) and that of small festivals, 100,000 euros. The same sources recall that the agreements came from the previous Pacte Botànic government. David Sánchez, director of ProFest, did not respond to questions from this newspaper.
The ProFest association is a private, non-profit entity, according to its statutes. Its members, underlines the agreement, organize the six major festivals in the Valencian territory, so that “no distortion occurs in the internal market and alters competition”.
The agreement included investments in “anti-avalanche safety” (441,258 euros); in stage structures (322,533 euros), and in modular ramps (236,207 euros). In total, one million euros. With the public subsidy, the Consell sought to promote actions aimed at improving the accessibility and sustainability of festivals and, in doing so, reducing the costs of organizers.
ProFest, as highlighted by the Generalitat Valenciana, has allocated the funds from the agreement to “a great commitment to acquire its own structures with the aim of reducing assembly time, safety of the installation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions to be distributed only among the festivals that make up the Valencian Community association.
Sponsorship of 3.3 million euros
Mazón has made major music festivals one of his government’s priorities. Indeed, last July, the president announced the creation of a general directorate specifically dedicated to music festivals which will report to the Department of the Presidency.
“We want to reflect the commitment of the Generalitat to the sector and support it with tax incentives, sponsorships and patronage, as well as the implementation of professional training with specific cycles,” said the head of the Consell.
The “Som de la terreta” festival was sponsored by the Generalitat to the tune of 3.3 million euros. The company that received the sponsorships, through a careful and urgent procedure, registered the festival brand and created the website 47 days before the hiring process began”, as reported by elDiario.es. The president Carlos Mazón announced sponsorship of the festival six days before requesting an offer from the company.
