Moll de Costa will once again become one of the cultural epicenters of the city of Tarragona and the entire demarcation this autumn. The complex of facilities and social and cultural spaces of Port Tarragona will offer more than 30 activities during the autumn season. Cultural, recreational, sports, and family events are the main protagonists of this season's program. Among the featured proposals are the SCAN festival, the third edition of NOW FEST, an exhibition on Open Arms, Science Week, the final of the PortAutors talent contest, the III Territori Arxiu, and the 5th edition of the Tarraco Health Race.
The autumn season at Moll de Costa is characterized by proposals focused on knowledge, critical thinking, reflection, and dissemination, always with an accessible approach and activities designed for all audiences. "The mission of Port Tarragona's cultural spaces is to act as a beacon of knowledge and a space for civic coexistence by the sea. The new autumn program reflects this spirit and consolidates Moll de Costa as one of the great cultural assets of the territory," assures Teresa Jacas, head of the Port-City division of Port Tarragona.
The program maintains the categorization by thematic tags launched last June coinciding with the presentation of the summer season. These tags are: Port, which encompasses events linked to the port world; Ciutat (City), which refers to citizen leisure and entertainment initiatives; Música (Music), with concerts and other formats of musical performances; Art, which includes all exhibition activity in the different facilities; Familiar (Family), proposals aimed at families and children; Pensament (Thought), with talks, conferences, book presentations, and other dissemination activities; Escena (Scene), various theatrical performances; Tallers (Workshops), which are held in any of the facilities and are aimed at all types of audiences; and Esport (Sport), which includes all sports activities carried out in the outdoor urban areas of the Port.
The exhibition landscape of Moll de Costa for this autumn is marked by three big names: the SCAN festival, Open Arms, and NOW FEST. Regarding SCAN, Port Tarragona's cultural spaces are once again hosting the central exhibitions of this photography festival, which this year focuses on metamorphosis as a driver of social, cultural, technological, and climatic changes.
El Tinglado 2 is the venue for the collective exhibition 'Les metamorfosis' (The Metamorphoses), which is part of the TALENT LATENT project to promote emerging artists. The exhibition can be visited until November 29. El Refugi 1 will host, on the same dates, 'Alienacions' (Alienations), curated by Xavier de Luca and Houari Bouchenak (Jiser Reflexions Mediterrànies); an exhibition that addresses structures of oppression and their transformations on bodies and territories, and brings individual and collective memories into dialogue.
The other prominent name in the exhibition program is Open Arms. El Tinglado 1 will host 'Open Arms. A Mission Against the Current' from October 30 to December 6. The exhibition, which has already been seen at Palau Robert earlier this year, arrives in Tarragona thanks to the City Council and the Port. The exhibition traces the origin of Open Arms' action in 2015 on the island of Lesbos, and is structured into six areas, from the organization's origins, through the legal framework that protects it, sea rescues, actions on land, the denunciation of disinformation and fake news that they periodically face, and the defense of human rights.
After the good reception of NOW FEST last year, this year the digital art and culture festival returns to El Refugi 1 of Moll de Costa on November 27 and 28. This facility will be transformed into a hub of artistic innovation with groundbreaking proposals that will revolve around the concept of digital ecology. In this third edition – the second to be held at the Port – El Refugi 1 will be filled with immersive experiences that will allow reflection on identity, the impact of technology, mental health, or Artificial Intelligence. Among the confirmed prominent names is Samantha Hudson, who will offer the talk 'Glamour, Hate, and Algorithms'. In addition, there will also be a space to showcase video games and other digital art proposals from Catalonia.
On the other hand, the activity room of the Port Museum will premiere the photographic exhibition 'Més enllà del rem... elles' (Beyond the Oar... Them) on October 23. This photographic project by Encarni Gallardo and Joan Casa portrays women rowers who share a passion for rowing and are cancer survivors. This exhibition can be visited until November 15.
Thought activities are focused on the dissemination of maritime and port memory and the creation of alternative narratives. The Port Archive concentrates most of these activities. On Tuesday, October 20, this facility organizes the third edition of Territori Arxiu; a biennial conference intended to be a meeting point between disciplines, a crossroads where archives can converse with art, archaeology, cinema, critical thinking, or contemporary creation. With the motto "Fissures and Dissidences," it aims to address the complexity of the times we live in. Times of accelerated technological transformations, profound social changes, and questioning of the narratives that we have taken for granted for years.
In this context, archives have a lot to say. During the Conference, there will be talks about memory, heritage, images, technology, cinema, archaeology, and documentation, diverse experiences that share the same concern: to understand the archive not only as a repository of the past but also as a tool for thinking about the future.
On Thursday, October 22, at 7 p.m., the Archive will host the presentation of the book 'Salvador Vidal Pons, "Tercio" (1897-1976). A Businessman from the Serrallo Neighborhood of Tarragona', a work that recovers the figure of one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in the recent history of Tarragona's maritime neighborhood. The volume, in digital format, has been published within the Saturnino Bellido collection of the Port Tarragona Publications Service and is one of the two selected works from the tenth edition of the Research Award promoted by the Port.
Likewise, the Archive organizes the screening of 'El colós de vidre. La construcció d'un símbol' (The Glass Colossus. The Construction of a Symbol), an audiovisual capsule dedicated to the institutional building of the Port Authority, a work by architect Josep M. Garreta. The audiovisual is the second work in the 'Històries portuàries' (Port Stories) series and can be seen on Tuesday, October 27, at 7 p.m. in the Josefina Castellví room of the APT institutional building.
Apart from the proposals organized by the Archive, the thought block also includes a newly created activity: the 'Memòries salades' (Salty Memories) route. Organized by Teatret del Serrallo, this activity offers a tour of the maritime neighborhood led by one of its most well-known residents: Pitu Mosquits. The activity will trace the most iconic places in El Serrallo with the narrative of the memoir book 'Serrallo, memòries salades', written by Pitu Mosquits and edited by the Port's Publications Service as a backdrop. The route will take place on Wednesday, October 21, in the afternoon. It is free with prior reservation on the Entràdium website.
Likewise, Teatret del Serrallo has launched the 'Fem Memòria' (Let's Remember) campaign. This initiative seeks to collect memories, testimonies, experiences, and recollections linked to the recreational and cultural activities that took place in the old Fishermen's Guild; a space currently occupied by the Teatret.
The Port Museum will be the facility that brings together activities aimed at families and workshops. Challenge lovers will have an opportunity to test themselves on October 25. The Museum has scheduled the escape room 'L'enigma de la Puça' (The Enigma of the Flea), as part of the 'Diumenges al Museu' (Sundays at the Museum) series. The proposal, free with prior reservation, is aimed at young and adult audiences and offers a series of challenges to solve around underwater archaeology and the vessel 'La Bruja', one of the most iconic that can be seen at the Museum.
The dissemination of maritime-rooted gastronomy is one of the Museum's commitments, with various activities scheduled throughout the year. This autumn program highlights activities related to romesco and market fish. This Tuesday, October 20, the Museum will host a conversation between Guillermo Fernández, romesco master and founder of RomescoLab, a platform for the study and dissemination dedicated to promoting romesco culture, and Manuel Quero, fisherman, chef, and romesco master. On Friday, October 30, it will be the turn of the tasting 'El peix protagonista a taula' (Fish as the Protagonist on the Table), by Jordi Mallol and Berna Rios. The activity is free with prior reservation. Registrations will open soon.
Looking ahead to November, a large part of the family activities and workshops offered by the Museum will be framed within the Science Week program. Together with environmentalist and photographer Ferran Aguilar, the Port Museum has organized three different activities. On November 8, participants can take part in a discovery activity of the Francolí. On the 14th, the workshop: 'Què expliquen els bioindicadors?' (What do bioindicators tell us?) will be offered, and the next day, November 15, the proposal 'Vine a veure ocells' (Come and see birds) has been prepared.
Small-format performances in indoor spaces define Moll de Costa's musical proposals. Teatret del Serrallo hosts the Quartet Paz concert on October 31. This group, made up of Newen Tahiel (piano), Leonardo Rosselli (saxophone, flute), Bikôkô Bi Njami (double bass), and Minimo Garay (drums, percussion), offers a fusion of jazz and world music. The performance, unique in the Tarragona region, is free with prior reservation.
The next musical event will be on November 20 at the Port Museum. This facility organizes its Autumn Concert once again this year, which will be performed by the pianist and composer from Falset, Lluís Capdevila. Capdevila will present a proposal called 'Vital', eponymous with his latest studio work.
The next day, November 21, one of the most anticipated musical events of autumn in Tarragona will arrive: the final of the PortAutors emerging talent contest. After the successful turnout achieved in this new edition, the selected artists will take the stage at the Teatret to demonstrate that they are one of the most promising musical talents.
On the other hand, regarding theatrical proposals, the Teatret will be one of the venues on November 13, 14, and 15 for the 'Passatges' (Passages) historical monologue series, whose program will be announced soon.
The maritime facade and outdoor urban spaces of Port Tarragona are one of the main settings for the city's sports and recreational activities. For this autumn, two prominent sports events have been scheduled: the Tarraco Health Race and the Canicros. The first of the activities will be the Canicros and the Solidarity Walk for Km0 organized by Club Dojo and the Tarragona Animal Protection Society, on Sunday, November 15. All proceeds from this activity will go to the care of animals under the protection of the Society.
The following Sunday, it will be the turn of the Tarraco Health Race. Organized by the Official College of Physicians of Tarragona, this race reaches its 5th edition as one of the most anticipated sports and solidarity events in the city. This year, the 5K, 10K, or walking modalities can be done. The proceeds will go to the Down Tarragona association.
Beyond the proposals promoted or co-organized by the various cultural facilities of Port Tarragona, the urban spaces of the Port host numerous activities and initiatives arising from the associative fabric of the city and the territory. Among the diversity of scheduled events, highlights include the celebration of the Music Exhibition of the African Women's Association of Tarragona, on October 17; the 17th Aplec de Sardanes, November 8; or a fundraising day for multiple sclerosis, on November 8. All these proposals will take place at the Pèrgola del Serrallo.
