Embroidery, one of Lorca’s most recognisable signs of identity, will take centre stage at an international congress to be held for the first time in the city at the end of November 2024. The initiative is being organised by Lorca City Council in collaboration with the University of Murcia, according to Santiago Parra, the councillor responsible for Culture in Lorca.
Parra announced the start of the organisation of the first international embroidery congress in Lorca, stressing that the city was the ideal choice for this event. The committee of honour, the scientific committee and the organiser have been appointed, and the official website will soon be launched to promote and provide details of the event.
The councillor emphasised that the congress will not be limited to the typical Easter embroidery of Lorca, but will cover examples of all types of embroidery, with a special focus on the academic field. The intention is to explore religious, civil and private embroidery, as well as different materials and techniques.
As for the venues, the Palacio de Guevara or the Huerto Ruano are envisaged as the venue for the inauguration, while the presentations could take place in venues such as the Teatro Guerra or the ‘Fondo Espín’ cultural centre. The event also seeks to highlight the historic centre of Lorca, with a plan of visits designed for participants to discover the embroidery in the headquarters and museums of the confraternities, as well as in civil places such as the Town Hall.
A joint exhibition is being considered in the old Collegiate Church of San Patricio to represent all the confraternities, entities and associations that have embroideries of interest.