The elephant in the Auditorium

As councilor for Culture, and alongside the mayor Jose Chulvi, I have lived eight wonderful years; perhaps the most intense, difficult and exciting period of my working life. A time dedicated to Xàbia and to culture, I want to believe that with some successes and, without a doubt, with some thorn stuck.

Today we are a benchmark for programming 52 weeks of the year, for all audiences , for all tastes and in all formats. On weekends that start on Thursdays and which - through the different festivals, the collaboration of the associations and the programming of the rooms - offer music, photography, humor, dance, cinema, theatre, fashion, painting, literature...

Eight years later we have consolidated the most important festivals (Xàbia Jazz and Xàbia Folk, for example) and added some new ones that are already part of our life, such as Xàbia Negra or the Blues samples and of Swing. And we have made our names universal such as Sorolla and Balenciaga. We have looked outside to bring the best, but also inside the house to give vent to the talent of our people, expressed in groups such as the Musical Art Center, the Dance Group, Xirimitab's, the Photographic Group, the School of Riurau Cinema, Live Chess, Ojos Rojos... And above all we have made an effort to fill the halls with life, such as the Casa de Cultura, the multipurpose room, the Customs Library, the church of Sant Bertomeu and that of Customs, the Riurau or Casa del Cable, but also streets, squares and beaches.

But the room has an elephant and we have to talk about it. An elephant that hurts me.

As a musician, years ago, I had heard the promise of the auditorium. They even showed us a model that cost a fortune and that should be in the recycling bin.

Our project, however, was different. It was real. We had done all the necessary work: we had the money, the political will, the project, the plans and we had awarded it. A huge bureaucratic task that had to result in the audience that Xàbia deserved. But the company that won the competition, with all the legal guarantees and under the supervision of the technicians, abandoned the work. Without reasons Because this was his way of acting: tendering for a lot of public works, winning contracts and then executing the most delicious ones... leaving tens of thousands of residents harmed.

But we don't give up. We went to court, defended Xàbia's interests, won, settled the contract and started again. From the beginning until re-awarding a work in which I told Jose Chulvi, half joking half seriously, that if they let us "we were going to put the blocks ourselves".

And for second time a company, abusing its position of advantage in public contracts, did the same as the first. I know it's hard to understand. Because if they do this to a private person, the joke lasts for a minute: the defaulter is fired and whoever you want is hired. But it doesn't happen like that in the Administration.

Why am I explaining this to you? Because the Auditorium is the thorn with which he leaves. But also to share with you a certainty: we will finish it. insurance Just like we made a swimming pool that seemed impossible. Just as we took the cars out of the Montañar when no one dared. Just like we protected 10 million m² when no one else believed in it. Just as we lowered the IBI when others raised it by 500%.

We will finish it because we deserve it. For all the musicians and music of our town. For all the neighbors who love culture. For dignity Because in Xàbia difficulties change our pace, but they don't twist our path.

And you and I will see.

Even if we have to go and put the blocks !

Quico Moragues
Culture Councilor