Comics, illustration and podcast, protagonists of the PICE 2025 program of Spanish Cultural Action

Comics and illustration, which were traditionally included in the area of ​​literature, will gain prominence in the AC/E program for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture (PICE) 2025 of Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), as well as podcasts and digital audio, as was advanced this Monday during its presentation at the Matadero in Madrid, within the framework of the III Injuve Comic Conference.

In this way, PICE is committed to giving these disciplines their own space next season, within the framework of its purpose of promoting and facilitating the foreign presence of the Spanish creative and cultural sector. Thus, to the areas of architecture and design, visual arts, cinema, dance and circus, literature and books, music, theater, video games and animation, two new ones will be added: ‘Comic and illustration’ and ‘Podcast and digital audio’.

Next year’s program also includes a budget expansion by items. In the case of mobility – aid for artists to go abroad – they will go from 1.2 million euros to almost one million euros in the 2025 budget, 22% more; while in the visitor area – to invite international prescribers who can help learn about Spanish culture and program more abroad – they will go from 800,000 euros in 2024 to one million in 2025, 25% more .

Regarding residences, the 2024 budget was 200,000 euros and has been increased by 30% to reach 225,000 euros in 2025.

An interactive PICE map has also been presented, available on its website. This tool seeks to make visible the presence of Spanish creators abroad.

As the Director of AC/E Programming, Inma Ballesteros, has detailed, in this last decade more than 3,500 projects have been supported in which more than 11,000 people and entities have participated; and an investment of more than 27 million has been carried out over 10 years.

The meeting was also attended by the comic critic and researcher Elisa McCausland and the CEO of Subterfuge Records and Subterfuge Radio, Carlos Galán.

McCausland has detailed that some of the essential events for the presence of Spanish comics could be Canada or Latin America in general, places “interesting to explore”, pointing out that the New York community is important and that in Colombia, the Spanish comic sector will be present next year at the Bogotá Book Fair.

The comic critic has also mentioned that in Taiwan, Korea and Japan they are doing “very interesting things” and that in these countries a “great sensitivity” is created among Spanish creators and has added in this regard: “To consider what could be done there with that exchange too.”

“I think the podcast has two key tasks: one, to energize, to make visible all the creation that is being done and not only in Spain, but that also concludes with communication with Latin America. Now what we are trying to do is turn Madrid into the world capital of podcasts in Spanish. And then, of course, also that visibility of the people who are doing very interesting things,” Galán indicated.