The Escuela de Arte y Superior de Diseño de Orihuela (EASDO) is celebrating its 50th anniversary under the theme '50 years projecting talent, creativity, and design'. A series of activities will highlight the evolution of this educational institution, its contributions to artistic training, and the professional opportunities it provides.
The central event will take place on 27 October at La Lonja, featuring testimonials from former students, interviews, historical images, and a discussion with professionals from various generations and disciplines. The day will conclude with the opening of an exhibition that will be accessible to the public for approximately one month.
Vicente Pina, the Councillor for Education in Orihuela, presented the anniversary programme alongside María Isabel García Quinto, the school’s director, and Susana Quiles Antón, the deputy director. Pina emphasised the significance of having an educational centre in Orihuela that has dedicated half a century to artistic education. He remarked, “It is a pleasure to know that an educational institution in our municipality is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, working on something as beautiful as the arts in many fields.”
Pina noted that the school, traditionally known to many locals as the Centro de Bellas Artes, is located in one of the municipality's most emblematic areas, the Palmeral. He praised the work done over the past five decades, which has been recognised by the regional government and other national bodies. “Many teachers and students have passed through this school. Many have developed professional careers outside our municipality thanks to the education they received,” he added.
Quiles explained that the anniversary celebrations have been organised with great enthusiasm, aiming to showcase the school's evolution and current reality, while highlighting the contributions of those who have been part of it. “We intend to show the current work being done at the school, but also how we have arrived at this point,” she stated.
One of the main features of the event on 27 October will be a retrospective of the institution's past, present, and future. This will include a video presentation featuring interviews and images that capture various moments in its history, alongside a discussion involving former students from different generations and artistic specialisations.
The event will also include performances by the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Orihuela, enhancing the celebration with musical contributions. Following the commemorative day, an exhibition will open at La Lonja, showcasing a selection of student works, including award-winning projects, highlighting the diverse disciplines taught at the school.
The programme will continue on 5 November with a research day at the Aula Magna of the Universidad Miguel Hernández, in collaboration with the academic institution. This meeting will focus on research in the field of artistic education and aims to strengthen the relationship between the two higher education centres.
García Quinto expressed the significance of this anniversary for the entire educational community, underscoring the institution's role in training and promoting professionals in fields such as fashion, graphic design, interior design, and sculpture. “It is an honour to celebrate this 50th anniversary. It represents a long journey, many generations, and a wealth of talent and creativity across all disciplines we offer,” she remarked.
She also highlighted the school's location in Orihuela, a city with a rich historical and university tradition, and acknowledged the ongoing collaboration with the Universidad Miguel Hernández, which has provided spaces for the anniversary activities. García Quinto noted that one of the current management team's goals is to strengthen the school's ties with the Vega Baja region and ensure that artistic education contributes to the area's economic and cultural development.
“It is crucial for our students to study art and design and be able to make a living from it,” she stated, emphasising the importance of fostering relationships with businesses to create new job opportunities. The school attracts students from various municipalities in the Vega Baja and has a significant number of international students through the Erasmus programme, enriching the academic experience and knowledge exchange.
In conclusion, the school’s management and Councillor Pina invited the residents of Orihuela and the wider Vega Baja community to participate in the anniversary activities and visit the upcoming exhibition. “We want to invite the citizens of Orihuela to get to know us, to come and share this moment with us, and to visit the exhibition to see the talent that has existed, exists, and we hope will continue in the future,” García Quinto concluded.
