Following the international recognition received in the context of MONDIACULT and the endorsement of UNESCO for the cultural, social and urban values embedded in the Primavera Sound project, a new milestone has now been reached: the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts 2025, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture.

This recognition not only celebrates the trajectory of a festival born in Barcelona in 2001 and now established as one of the most influential cultural events in Europe and worldwide, but also acknowledges a way of understanding culture as a space for creation, diversity, access and social transformation.

From its very beginnings, Primavera Sound has championed an eclectic and open programming approach — spanning indie, pop, rock, electronic music, hip hop and experimental proposals — viewing music as a shared language capable of connecting communities, generations and territories. This vision was further consolidated with milestones such as the gender-balanced line-up in 2019, known as The New Normal, which marked a turning point in the international debate on gender balance in the music industry and since then promotes gender equality in a sustained and transversal manner.

At the same time, initiatives such as Nobody is Normal have placed diversity, inclusion and representation at the heart of the project, reaffirming culture as a safe, plural and open space where identities and differences are not only respected, but actively celebrated.

This commitment also extends to access to culture and international cultural cooperation, promoted through music and the creative industries as tools for global dialogue. In this context, Primavera Pro, the professional meeting that runs alongside the festival, has become a key platform for knowledge exchange, support for emerging talent and collective reflection, bringing together cultural agents from all over the world and reinforcing Barcelona’s role as an international hub for cultural innovation.

The Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts thus recognises a project that goes far beyond the industrial dimension of a music festival. Primavera Sound is not just about music: it is a cultural ecosystem that articulates values, generates social impact, builds community and demonstrates that major cultural events can — and should — act as drivers of change.A recognition that reinforces a core conviction of the Primavera Sound Foundation: that culture is not an add-on, but can and must serve as an active testament to culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development, capable of fostering cohesion, innovation and future-oriented progress.

To be continued.