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THE WINNERS OF THE “PENCHO CROS” TROPHIES CORRESPONDING TO THE 15th CULTURAL AWARDS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE CANTE DE LAS MINAS, HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

The Cante de las Minas Foundation has announced the winners of the » Pencho Cros» Trophies of the 15th International Cultural Awards to be presented within the celebration of the 54th edition of the La Unión Festival.

These prizes reward specific activities with the aim of promoting and encouraging the development of the International Festival del Cante de las Minas, addressing relevant aspects of La Unión, the Festival itself, mining cante and flamenco in general.

The list of winners for 2014 is as follows, in accordance with the unanimous decision within the Board of Trustees of the Foundation:

• JOURNALISM PRIZE:  For the Daily News (Telediario) of Spanish TV. These broadcasts are the referential source of information for audiences in all editions. Year after year, the Daily News has always broadcast the latest information of the Cante de las Minas Festival. Interviews with the main individuals, summaries of the gala shows and competitions, spreading the word of mining flamenco across the globe.

• GASTRONOMY PRIZE:  For José Rodríguez Rey, owner of the Michelin Star restaurant «El Bohio» in Illescas, Toledo.  Although television and his program «Master Chef» were responsible for making him known in every house in Spain, Pepe (as he likes to be called), has a long career in the kitchen where he has combined tradition and the contemporary, to raise the level of Spanish cuisine to the altar of excellence.

• PATRONAGE PRIZE:  For the Catholic University in San Antonio, Murcia, UCAM.  Created in 1996, this University has come of age as an established educational institution, which currently has over fifteen thousand students, 28 official degrees, 57 Masters and 21 PhD programs. But UCAM also takes great care to support culture and sports, sponsoring many initiatives in the Region of Murcia, including creating its Flamencology Faculty, in conjunction with the Cante de las Minas Foundation, which has definitely risen to the university level of teaching and research in the art of flamenco.

• PRIZE FOR BEST WORK TO PROMOTE MUSIC:  Awarded jointly to La Mar de Músicas Festival of Cartagena, on the occasion of its twentieth edition, and the Festival de Cante Flamenco of Lo Ferro, now celebrating its thirty-fifth edition.  These are two of the most important festivals from our region, with major national and international recognition, and this recognition aims to reward the excellent work of promotion of music in general, and of flamenco in particular.

• PRIZE FOR RECORDING:  For Jeromo Segura, last winner of the Lámpara Minera for his album «La Voz de la Mina. Antología de los Cantes Mineros de La Unión”.  A work that recuperates the legacy of the mining cantes of the Cros and Fernández families, the anthological purity of La Unión’s mining cante.

• PRIZE FOR INVESTIGATION:  Jointly to José Luis Navarro and Akio Iino, for the re-edition of «Cantes de las Minas» on its twenty-fifth anniversary, and José Francisco Ortega Castejón for his work «“Cantes de las Minas. Cantes por Tarantas”.  Two works that are a clear example of scientific study involving the promotion of flamenco and the Cante de las Minas as carried out by their authors.

• PRIZE FOR FINE ARTS:  Also granted jointly to photographers Toni White and Virigina Rosique, for their technical and artistic ability to capture the art of flamenco in pictures in all its varied expressions.  In the case of Toni White, the panel of judges praised his «exemplary career, and quality in the printing of photographic images of the most varied and outstanding flamenco artists of our country».  In the case of photographer Virigina Rosique, the jury highlighted her latest work, «Sentir Flamenco», a tribute to women in the world of flamenco, with works that pay tribute to interpreters such as Concha ‘The Peñaranda’, Mercedes ‘La Serneta’, La Trini, La Niña de los Peines and Carmen Amaya, among others.

• PRIZE FOR FASHION ARTS:  For fashion designer Juana Martin. This young woman from Córdoba of gypsy descent, gives her designs an avant-garde and flamenco spin that has made her one of the most highly rated Spanish designers today.  In 2005 she began her career in the Pasarela Cibeles, creating a feeling for southern Spain in her collections.  Her success took her to other national and international fashion shows, such as the Valencia Fashion Week, SIMOF and Showroom in Paris.