đș The Tapa Weekend: March 8
ARCO is back, plus some cool options to celebrate International Women's Day.
By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | March 8, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #44
đ Welcome to a new issue of The Tapa: Weekend Edition! An English-language newsletter about what to do this weekend in Madrid (plus memes!)
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Itâs Friday again! And the cold weather is back with a vengeance to remind us all that the spring is most definitely not here yet. Hang on, people! Only two more weeks to go.
We know, it sounds enticing to stay home all weekend watching the new season of whatever Disney+ or Netflixâs algorithm is telling you to watch, but might we suggest leaving the house and doing something different? You know, for a change (at least until the new season of Emily in Paris arrives).
Here are a few good options for you to consider. Youâre welcome.
1. Â Feria ARCOmadrid: International Fair of Contemporary Art
The best way to show your Instagram followers that youâre cultured (and maybe low-key rich?) is by heading to Feria ARCOmadrid this weekend, which is back for its 43rd edition and, as tradition mandates, was officially opened by the King and Queen of Spain on Wednesday.
ARCOmadrid is Spain's International Contemporary Art Fair, which since its inception has been one of the biggest platforms in the worldâs contemporary art market.
This yearâs edition has the Caribbean Sea as the central project and its program, called "The shore, the tide, the current: an oceanic Caribbean," will revolve around the artistic scenes of the nations that are connected by it.
The section "Never the Same: Latin American Art," curated by José Esparza Chong Cuy and Manuela Moscoso, will continue to strengthen the historical link between ARCOmadrid and Latin American art.
A total of 207 galleries from 36 countries are participating this time, turning Madrid into the international capital of contemporary art.
Grab your tickets!
Feria ARCOmadrid. IFEMA. Avenida del Partenon 5, Madrid. Through March 10. Check website for schedule. Tickets: âŹ40 (online), âŹ52 at the tickets booth.
2. A Play: Florian Zellerâs La Madre
If contemporary art is not for you, letâs try a play instead.
The PavĂłn Theater is hosting La Madre (The Mother), by BAFTA and Academy award-winning playwright Florian Zeller. La Madre stars actress Aitana SĂĄnchez-GijĂłn, who returns to the theater to portray one of the most acclaimed characters in the current theatrical scene.
This dark comedy directed by Juan Carlos Fisher questions the limits of loneliness, emptiness, and sanity. Zeller has penned a family trilogy (The Father, The Mother, and The Son), and prompts us to question things like: Can a mother love too much? Is there a limit to that love? What happens when a child grows up and leaves?
Anne suffers from empty-nest syndrome. She has built her life around her son Nicolas and in her son's absence, âshe will discover the true bond she has with her husband and wonder if everything has been a meaningless fictionâ. đą
Also⊠SĂĄnchez-GuijĂłn (who you may have seen on Almodovarâs Madres Paralelas or starring opposite Keanu Reeves on A Walk in the Clouds) is a fantastic actress.
La Madre. Teatro PavĂłn. Calle de Embajadores 9, Madrid. Through May 12. Check website for schedule. Tickets start at âŹ20.
3. Festival Mujeres en Vivo (Women Live Festival)
Itâs International Womenâs Day todayâand Madrid is ready to celebrate accordingly.
With 72 live music performances in 33 venues across the city, Mujeres en Vivo 2024 aims to promote the visibility of female talent on stage. Although its lineup is predominantly composed of concerts, Women Live also offers microtheater and flamenco shows courtesy of Flamenco Capital.
The festival starts today and ends on March 31. This weekend features artists such as Patricia Lint + La Pains (blending R&B with pop at Cadavra), The Clams at El Intruso, Rheia Gorecki + Grima at Moby Dick, and the fresh flamenco fusion of Blanca La Almendrita at Tempo Audiophile Club.
The party continues until Sunday with alternative shows like Todayâs Tuesday at Cadillac Solitario or Lea Leone at FotomatĂłn, alongside more urban offerings such as Machete en Boca at Insomnio, or the pop-oriented sounds of Ali AbellĂĄn + Carmen Lillo at Morocco.
Festival Mujeres en Vivo. Multiple locations around Madrid. Check website for more information. Through March 31.
4. Festival Ellas Crean (They Create Festival)
Letâs continue with International Women's Day!
The city is also hosting a new edition of women's creative festival Ellas Crean. This event, organized by the Institute of Women and for Equality of Opportunity, is celebrating its 20th edition this year with a program that brings together female leaders and new figures in film, literature, music, theater, and other disciplines to jointly fight for political and social change.
Donât miss choreographer Sol PicĂłâs show at the Prado Museum this Saturday afternoon!
Festival Ellas Crean. Multiple locations around Madrid. Check website for locations and schedule. Through March 31.
5. Mercado de Motores: Fun Times at the Train Station
The Mercado de Motores is back. The second weekend of every month, the Mercado de Motores market takes over the Madrid Railway Museum (which used to be a train station) to bring you live music (see video above), food trucks, vintage clothing, used vinyls and more.
Over 200 designers and entrepreneurs showcase their productsâkind of like a flea market but a whole lot better.
Mercado de Motores has been gathering hundreds of artisans, designers, creators, book vendors, artists, gourmet food producers, and vintage/second-hand specialists for over 10 years.
This market/fair has become a benchmark for sustainable and local trade, providing visibility to entrepreneurs who, for the most part, do not have physical stores. Letâs show them our support, shall we?
Mercado de Motores. Museo del Ferrocarril. Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid. March 9 & 10, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free admission.
đšđ»âđ» Viral Story of the Week
đââïž Thatâs how to land a job!
Marta Puerto was laid off from her product marketing manager job by Spanish fintech Xolo in October. Scores of resumes received no love in return. So Marta and boyfriend Nathan Jackson created a 2-minute video retelling her long search and marketing her skillsâin narrative (replete with Hitchcock Psycho music), and including the six languages she speak (Spanish, Catalan, English, French, Italian and Portuguese). 2.5m views and 90,000 likes later (on LinkedIn), Marta has received 300 job offers. NotâŠbad.
đ A Message From Our Sponsor
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Located on Calle de MoratĂn 7 â a few blocks away from the Prado Museum â and with over 20,000 new and used books, Secret Kingdoms has something for everyone.
Find out more at www.thesecretkingdoms.com
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