Haziaraba, the Rural Festival of Early Artistic Stimulation, is set to return this autumn to the municipalities of Agurain, Amurrio, Aramaio, Dulantzi, Iruña de Oca, Labastida, Laudio, Legutio, and Oyón. The programme, aimed at families with children aged 0 to 6 years, offers various ways to engage with art from a young age, respecting their attention spans, perception, and discovery.
The initiative is supported by Púlsar and funded by the Department of Culture and Sport of the Provincial Council of Álava, Fundación Vital, and the participating town councils. Ana del Val, the Provincial Deputy for Culture, emphasised, "Access to culture begins in the early years of life. Haziaraba allows children in the Alava municipalities to enjoy quality artistic experiences close to home." Arantxa Ibáñez de Opacua, director of Fundación Vital, highlighted the initiative's importance for the region: "Supporting Haziaraba contributes to families finding quality cultural offerings in their own municipality. Sharing these experiences from childhood also helps create bonds and enliven the cultural spaces of our towns."
Three proposals for discovery and sharing
The artistic programme will include Baby Esferic, from Aboon Teatro, designed for children aged 0 to 6 years. This performance pays tribute to the Earth and its inhabitants, inviting young audiences to discover the planet's magic through various stories and landscapes with a delicately visual, spherical aesthetic. The production has received significant accolades both nationally and at international festivals.
Cinema will be represented by Harri Zopa eta beste zenbait alderantzizko ipuin, suitable for children over 2 years old. This collection of five short films, distributed by Rita&Luca Films, is filled with fantasy and humour, reinterpreting popular tales and universal childhood customs, with the Owl of Cinema as a connecting thread. Additionally, oral storytelling sessions in Basque, led by Arabazan for children over 3 years, will invite audiences to gather around stories and enjoy shared listening.
Ander Elorza, the project manager, explained, "We care about the artistic proposal and also how we welcome the audience, how we prepare the space, and the time we allow for each child to enjoy at their own pace. Collaboration with the municipalities is essential to make this possible."
Schedule by locality
- Agurain: Baby Esferic 21 November, Cinema 22 November, Stories 20 November
- Amurrio: Baby Esferic 22 November, Cinema 29 November, Stories 15 November
- Aramaio: Baby Esferic 15 November, Cinema 13 November, Stories 14 November
- Dulantzi: Baby Esferic 18 December, Cinema 22 December, Stories 21 December
- Iruña de Oca: Baby Esferic 16 November, Cinema 30 November, Stories 23 November
- Labastida: Baby Esferic 14 November, Cinema 16 November, Stories 15 November
- Laudio: Baby Esferic 15 November, Cinema 13 November, Stories 14 November
- Legutio: Baby Esferic 22 November, Cinema 20 and 27 November
- Oyón: Baby Esferic 20 November, Cinema 27 November, Stories 13 November
Information and tickets: Each town council manages access to activities in their locality; some are free while others require payment. Information regarding schedules, venues, reservations, and ticket sales or collection should be consulted and managed directly with the respective town council. Haziaraba recorded over a thousand attendees in 2025 and continues to work towards providing young children with opportunities to enjoy art within their local communities alongside their families.
