Anyone heading to the GELATINA & PRÓXIMAMENTE closing party on Saturday 21 November will have the chance to win a free return flight to Latin America. Exciting news, but what does a Spanish airline have to do with a theatre? Marie-Louise Manzah from Air Europa and Gerardo Salinas, KVS City Dramaturg, tell us more about the partnership.

Marie-Louise: “The partnership between KVS and Air Europa came about quite spontaneously. In 2012, we had just opened an Air Europa office in Brussels to strengthen our presence in Belgium and Luxembourg. In that capacity, I attended a gathering organised by the Spanish Cultural Embassy in Belgium. It was there, at the reception, that I met Gerardo, who was there to collect an award on behalf of KVS. From the outset, we discovered that we shared a commitment to building cultural bridges between Belgium, Spain and Latin America, each in our own way and through our respective organisations. This shared belief gave rise to various synergies, which gradually grew into a lasting and enriching partnership.

For those unfamiliar with our airline, Air Europa is a Spanish airline with family-run roots, specialising in connections to Latin America and a member of the SkyTeam alliance. This enables us to offer our passengers a global network and an integrated service.”

Gerardo: “I agree with Marie about the organic nature of our connection. We strongly believe in the power of encounters between different cultures. We live in a time when face-to-face encounters are increasingly being replaced by digital interactions. Even in certain art forms, it can sometimes be difficult to tell for sure whether we are watching a live performance or not. Theatre, however, remains one of the most powerful and radical expressions of human encounter: an audience gathered in a room, sharing a unique moment with the performers. Every performance is unique and impossible to reproduce, just like every genuine encounter.

That was the key common ground between us: the desire to encourage genuine encounters between people and cultures.”

Gerardo, could you tell us a little more about the Próximamente and t e r r i t o r i o festivals and the artistic network they help foster, both in Belgium and in Spain and Latin America? And what important role has Air Europa played in this?

Gerardo: “The partnership with Air Europa has been crucial to both Próximamente and t e r r i t o r i o. Both festivals and platforms focus on innovation and often work with artists who have yet to establish themselves within the established distribution circuits. This often makes international mobility a real challenge.

Thanks to Air Europa’s support, we have managed to bring over a whole range of artists whom we might otherwise never have had the opportunity to present to a European audience. Take Carolina Bianchi, for example, who is now a leading and groundbreaking voice on the European theatre scene. Thanks to Air Europa, we were able to bring her and her team from Brazil to Brussels – an opportunity that would later prove to be a pivotal moment in her career.”

Marie-Louise: “At Air Europa, our role is primarily to facilitate mobility and support initiatives that promote cultural exchange. Festivals such as Próximamente and t e r r i t o r i o offer us very tangible opportunities to build cultural bridges, encourage new perspectives and enrich artistic scenes on both sides of the Atlantic.

This support is part of Air Europa’s commitment to bringing different regions closer together culturally and ensuring that talent can move freely. It allows festivals like these to continue growing and further strengthen the international artistic ecosystem.”

Where does Air Europa’s commitment to culture come from?

Marie-Louise: “For Air Europa, supporting cultural initiatives is an essential part of our commitment to the communities we serve. We strongly believe in the value of art as a driving force for social change. Art has an impact on people’s lives and creates space for reflection. We want to give artists the opportunity to develop their work further and reach new audiences – by making travel possible, connecting cities or supporting international encounters.

Our partnerships with cultural institutions in Belgium and across Europe, as well as in Spain and Latin America, stem from a clear conviction: art not only enriches those who experience it, but also strengthens the ties between countries and communities. As a Spanish airline, we are particularly proud of Madrid’s role as a cultural meeting point and international hub, connecting artists and audiences from different parts of the world.

The support we provide is part of our identity as an airline. We want to be more than just a means of transport. We want to act as a bridge, allowing ideas, talent and creativity to travel further.”

Gerardo: “The economy is globalised. We cannot understand the European welfare state without also acknowledging its trade relations with countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. For many people, these relationships remain abstract and barely register in their daily lives. But what impact do they have?

Regions such as Latin America, Africa and Asia are not simply places from which we can extract and consume raw materials. In the performing arts, when we collaborate with artists from these regions, we try to bring the human dimension into focus and highlight how these exchanges are often unequal: they generate considerable benefits for one party, while having a negative social and environmental impact on the other. It is important to bring the stories and perspectives of these cultures to a wider audience.

That is why it is essential to recognise the transformative power of genuine encounters, which are so fundamental to the performing arts. If we stop meeting one another and discovering each other’s stories, we lose our humanity.”

Last year, more Latin American countries joined the Próximamente festival as partners. KVS is building relationships with institutions in Mexico and Colombia, while Air Europa has an extensive network of destinations across Latin America. How do you see the future of the arts in the region, and the opportunities Latin America has to offer the world?

Marie-Louise: “Air Europa flies to more than twenty destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. We also operate flights to the United States, with connections to New York and Miami. This puts us in a privileged position to connect continents and facilitate cultural exchange.

Thanks to our extensive presence in the region, we have been able to build strong relationships with cultural and tourism institutions in several Latin American countries, including Mexico and Colombia, two countries with which KVS is also strengthening its ties. From our perspective, the artistic future of Latin America looks promising. The region has always been a breeding ground for creativity, diversity and new narratives, and we believe its international profile will only continue to grow. It is home to a vibrant wealth of artistic talent that deserves to be seen, heard and shared.

We are proud to work with institutions such as KVS. Whether in tourism or culture, we are keen to open doors and work together to ensure that these exchanges are smooth, accessible and enriching for everyone.”

Gerardo: “2026 will also be a special year, as Air Europa celebrates its 40th anniversary. It will be an opportunity to look back with pride on how far we have come, while also looking ahead with ambition. In this context, our partnership takes on even greater significance. It reaffirms our determination to keep connecting people, regions and stories over the coming decades.

In 2026, we will continue to expand our network of artists and partners in Latin America. Alongside deepening our relationships with participating artists and partners, we will also be launching collaborations with the Dominican Republic and other countries, for example. Air Europa’s support is fundamental to this work. Here’s to the next 40 years!”