The festival Viñetas desde el Atlántico has been awarded one of the prestigious Cogave awards, presented by the Galician Confederation of Neighbourhood Associations (Cogave) in recognition of its significant contribution to the promotion of comic art and culture in A Coruña. The award was accepted by Gonzalo Castro, the city’s Councillor for Culture and Tourism, during a ceremony held in Pontevedra.
According to the awarding body, the festival has become a cultural landmark over its nearly three-decade history, serving as a meeting point for diverse generations of creators and readers. The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of A Coruña and the Metropolitan Area (FAVA) highlighted that this year’s awardees, which also included the Salma Foundation, exemplify how community commitment can transform societal realities and foster a more engaged and cohesive citizenry.
Castro expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, “Viñetas desde el Atlántico is an integral part of A Coruña’s cultural identity.” He emphasised the festival’s longstanding relationship with the local community, noting its role in bringing comic art to audiences of all ages and establishing the city as a hub for graphic creation and illustration.
“The city council continues to support a festival that combines artistic excellence, outreach, and citizen participation. Viñetas is also an extraordinary tool for promoting A Coruña externally, attracting internationally renowned authors and placing the city on the map of significant cultural gatherings,” Castro added, thanking FAVA on behalf of the mayor, Inés Rey.
Manel Cráneo, director of Viñetas, also expressed his appreciation during the awards ceremony, acknowledging the hard work of the festival team. He highlighted the importance of receiving such an award from the local community, stating that it serves as motivation for the upcoming 30th edition of the festival. Cráneo noted the significance of local recognition for an event that aims to showcase international comic art while promoting local talent.
This year’s festival concluded with impressive attendance figures, with over 300,000 visitors recorded across various venues since the summer. The ongoing exhibition, Eclipse de Viñetas, at the Casa de las Ciencias has already attracted more than 33,400 visitors, while municipal venues such as Kiosco Alfonso, Palexco, and María Pita welcomed over 31,000 attendees. Additionally, more than 2,000 visitors explored the Palestinian comic exhibition at the Luis Seoane Museum, and 5,000 visited the historic house museums within the municipal network. This brings the total to nearly 72,000, plus an estimated 200,000 who visited the Rúa BD and Gundam area during the festival’s peak week from 10 to 16 August.
