For centuries, drawing and sketching were used purely for preparatory work in art. Sketches provided material that the artist would then expand and incorporate into a painting. The reappraisal of drawing as an art form in its own right led to the appearance of a huge variety of techniques and styles that you can now admire free of charge at the exhibition Modern maestros of drawing. Abello Collection, until 29th March, in Valencia's Carme Centre.

The exhibition features 83 works on paper from this collection, which contains a small but stunning pencil drawing by Francisco de Goya (a life portrait of his wife Josefa Bayeu) and a head by Lucian Freud, as well as drawings by Miquel Barcelo, Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir, Klimt, Miro, Matisse and Gauguin, among others.

Valencia is preparing for the 13th edition of its Flamenco Festival at the Palau de la Musica. Between 17th January and 20th February. Lovers of good music can enjoy an eclectic programme featuring top music acts.

One of the leading exponents of flamenco guitar, Vicente Amigo, will be opening the Flamenco Festival on 17th January. Then, Pitingo will be presenting his latest album Souleria, which offers a unique fusion of flamenco, soul, gospel and pop. Paco Berbel, a dancer with the New Spanish Ballet, will be the star of the Valencia Flamenco Night on 15th February. And finally, Chambao will bring the event to a close with their exciting bulerias, tangos and rumbas on 20th February.

The exhibition Vicente Peris. Las lunas, organised expressly for the Valencia Institute of Modern Art (IVAM), brings together 48 pieces by the artist, including 14 drawings and 34 mixed technique works, oil painting and photography, and two video projections. The work of this Valencian artist reflects on the pictorial in perfect harmony with the photographic.

Whilst contemplating the window designs of major brands, Vicente Peris was trapped in the reflection, in other words, by the appearance of his own image in this world of glamour and sensuality. Peris' windows represent an important turning point in the work of this artist, who decided to set off on new artistic paths with great experimental freedom.

The voices of Georges Moustaki, the Vienna Boys Choir, Pastora and Noa will be echoing in your head long after the concerts have finished. The magnificent Valencia Opera House (Palau de la Musica) offers you the chance to enjoy the II City of Valencia Winter Festival until 12th February.

The programme chosen includes: on 9th January, Georges Moustaki, one of the great artists of the French chanson tradition, the inspiration for great voices such as Edith Piaf. On 1st February, you can marvel at the pure snow-white voices of the Vienna Boys Choir.

The 2009 season is about to get underway at the Ricardo Tormo Race Circuit in the Comunitat Valenciana. On the horizon, 13 competition weekends that will get the adrenaline pumping in all petrol heads.

Some of the most important dates for your diary in 2009 are: Superbike, on 5th April; WTCC and Formula 2 on 31st May, and the Valencian Grand Prix, which will bring the MotoGP World Championship to a close on 8th November. The Formula Superleague, on 21st June, and the Ferrari Challenge, on 27th September, are two new events for this year's racing season at the Cheste speed circuit.

Valencia is a magical place at this time of year: the spirit of Christmas seeps into every corner, and the La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is no exception. From 20th December onwards, children take centre stage at these cheerful celebrations and the countless activities on offer around the complex.

In the Science Museum Principe Felipe, children will have a great time creating their own comics, painting their faces like the Incredible Hulk and enjoying animated features like Superheroes, Science or Fiction? and Sinforoso, the curious superhero. There will also be a workshop called Maths on your Christmas tree and a science gymkhana.

Until February 28th, the Oceanogràfic at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias will be home to the exhibition Ánforas del mar, containing over 100 reproductions of different sized amphorae that represent the trading spirit of Mediterranean cultures.

Alongside these faithful reproductions of the everyday art created by ancient peoples, the exhibition shows visitors their origins on the coast of Lebanon and Syria during the 15th century BC and how they were used throughout the Mediterranean right up until the 7th Century AD, when they were replaced by wood and leather containers. Through this interesting exhibition, you can discover the complex manufacturing process, areas of production and historic evolution.

Until January 6th, a huge nativity scene, entitled The Light of the Nativity at the Cathedral, will be on display at the Cathedral of Valencia,. This is the first time a nativity scene has been exhibited in the Cathedral for four centuries and it has been set up opposite the San Luis Obispo Chapel. This nativity scene is 12 metres long by 6 metres wide and consists of 400 pieces.

Up until the 17th century, the Cathedral of Valencia would have a real-life nativity scene every year at Christmas, but not since then have there been large-scale nativities on display here. The Cathedral's new nativity scene is classic in its style and contains 400 figures, 40 of which measure 35 cm, made out of clay and commissioned especially from the Jerez-born artist, Jose Joaquin Perez.

ndia. Art and culture on the Indian subcontinent (1857- 2007) at the Valencia Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) is the most important international exhibition of modern and contemporary art from India, one of the world's most culturally dynamic countries.

The exhibition features around 500 works of art by over 100 artists and spans a period of over two centuries. India Moderna narrates the history of a solid and rich artistic tradition, which dates back to the exchange between European and Indian society and their mutual influence. The central argument of this exhibition is that modernity was not just a Western artistic practice but also an international phenomenon.

Cavalia is arriving in Valencia with a multimedia show brimming with creativity and imagination. Over two million people have enjoyed the tour so far and now you will have the chance too. Be amazed by the stars of this equestrian odyssey, with performances until December 14th on the Explanada del Veles e Vents, in the Juan Carlos I Marina.

The show, which features 33 artists from ten different countries and close to 50 horses of eleven different breeds, is taking place in a huge 2,440 square metre tent, where you will witness the close relationship between humans and horses throughout history. Acrobats, jugglers, dancers and riders share a huge stage with these magnificent horses in a different and truly captivating experience.

February 2nd 2008 marked the 800th anniversary of the birth of King Jaume I of Aragon. On this date began a series of celebrations which will continue until February 2009 and include a series of major exhibitions that examine different facets of the monarch.

The Main Square of Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences will be one of the venues hosting the 500 ATP Tennis Tournament.

Valencia will be one of the venues hosting the new 500 tennis tournament on the men's ATP circuit. This is a major new sports competition that will raise the international profile of Valencia. The tennis circuit will also include Rotterdam, Dubai, Acapulco, Memphis, Barcelona, Washington, Peking, Tokyo and Basel.

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia begins its programme with Parsifal, an adaptation of Wagner's sacred festival drama. This opera will be performed on Saturday 25th October, under the musical direction of Lorin Maazel and staged by the renowned film maker Werner Herzog. This German director has a number of celebrated films to his name, including Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre, the Wrath of God. This opera will also be performed in the Main Auditorium of the Opera House on October 27th and 31st, and November 4th and 7th.

The Valencia Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) invites you to visit Narrative Figuration. Paris, 1960-1972, an exhibition that features work by approximately 20 artists from the 1960s, whose paintings were inspired by images taken from the press, advertising, comics and the cinema.

The exhibition Narrative Figuration. Paris, 1960-1972 brings together over 100 paintings, objects and films that influenced the history of art in the 60s. The artists, labelled as revolutionaries following in the footsteps of surrealism, came from all over Europe and congregated in Paris, until New York became the capital of living art.

Flamenco in Valencia

CAFÉ DEL DUENDE
C/Turia,62 46008 - Valencia
Telf.: +34 630 455 289
From Wednesday to Saturday

The largest international exhibition ever presented in Spain by the Louvre is coming to Valencia. The exhibition, entitled Three Empires of Islam. Istanbul, Isfahan, Delhi. Masterpieces from the Louvre collection will be held at the Bancaja Cultural Centre until 28th September.

Many of the pieces included in the collection, like Three Empires of Islam; Istanbul, Isfahan, Delhi and Masterpieces from the Louvre collection had never been exhibited outside the walls of the French museum as they have only recently been acquired by the Louvre. Admire the beauty of this unique collection at the Bancaja Cultural Centre, every day from 9 am. to 9 pm. until 28th September.

The Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM) has brought together the largest public collection of work by Ignacio Pinazo thanks to its own undertaking and donations from the artist's family. Until the 23rd November, you can discover more about this artist in Valencia.

The exhibition Pinazo in the IVAM collection includes a selection of 49 paintings and 14 drawings, ordered thematically and chronologically, which illustrate the artist's evolution in the transition between 19th and 20th Century.

If you are looking for a unique experience, why not come down to the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia between 18th July and 31st August. With a Nights at the Oceanogràfic ticket, you will be treated to an unforgettable evening.

From 8 pm. onwards, you can visit the aquarium, enjoy a spot of refreshment in any of the restaurants and be wowed by a fabulous show at the Oceanogràfic. A unique display that combines dolphin acrobatics with a performance by the Madrid Swimming Federation's synchronised swimming team.

The Festival Eclèctic at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is in its seventh year and offers a variety of free entertainment to suit all tastes and ages.

On Friday July 25th, motor sport will be the theme of the open-air Eclèctic Nit shows and from 7 p.m. onwards artists will be offering street theatre, entertainment, workshops, passacaglias and juggling all over the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The Cuban group Orishas will also be giving a concert.

On July 26th and 27th, the Valencia Street Circuit will welcome the two races held prior to the European Formula 1 Grand Prix - which will take place on the weekend of August 22nd-24th 2008.

The Spanish Formula 3 Championships and the International GT Open will be spectacular curtain raisers for the coming European Formula 1 Grand Prix on the Valencia city circuit running along the seafront of Valencia.

July 17:
Toreros: Miguel Tendero, Miguel Jimemez y El Payo
Ganaderia: Novillos de Santos Alcalde
July 18:
Toreros: Salvador Barbera, damasco Gonzalez y Vicente Marrero
Ganaderia: Novillos de Genaro Ortega

Prestigious international artists will star in the final two shows of the Blues a l'IVAM season. Both will take place on a Thursday in unrivalled surroundings - the IVAM hall - and will be free of charge. It goes without saying that no visitor should miss the opportunity to lend such a great soundtrack to their holidays.

On Thursday 19th June the Tonky Blues Band will be playing with Frenchman Nico Wayne Toussaint in a concert that will be rounded off perfectly by a great jam session.

Until 6th July, El Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM) will be exhibiting two recent series by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The exhibition will consist of 95 works from the Circus and Abu Ghraib collections.

Circus is a result of Botero's interest in the world of the circus, something that has inspired such other artists as Calder, Picasso, Leger and Chagall. The artist portrays traditional circus characters with the monumental physiognomy that characterises his style.

With the title After the Net, the Festival Observatori 2008 sees cutting-edge trends brought to Valencia by the most significant Spanish and International creators. In the field of research into sound, we have the 0.5 programme, which investigates the intricate worlds of sound, noise and silence from different social and scientific points of view.

On 14th June, the artist Michael Prime will submerge the festival with his ecological sound, while the resonant universe of Francisco Lopez, one of the leading players in the international experimental and underground music scene, will take centre stage on 21st June. The same day will see the Danish artist Jacob Kirkegaard, one of the musicians most eagerly expected by the Observatori audience, will recreate sounds that are our senses are usually unable to hear.

From 24th May to 1st July, the Festival del Mediterrani will be offering a wide range of shows in the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia de Valencia's four halls. The Main Hall, the Auditorium, the Master Hall and the Martin y Soler theatre will be the setting for a brilliant festival.

The festival has chosen light as the thread to bind together the different shows taking place up to July. Internationally famous artists such as Zubin Mehta, directors such as Chen Kaige and Francisco Negrin share top billing with La Fura dels Baus, the singers Maria Guleghina, Leonid Zakhozhaev and Bejun Mehta, amongst others.

The Feria de las Naciones (All Nations Fair) returns to offer Valencia the best culture, crafts, music and gastronomy of a selection of countries from all over the world. Up to 25th May, you can visit the River Turia riverbed next to the Puente de Calatrava bridge and enjoy this socially-committed event, where music and rhythm never stop. Entrance is free and the Fair is open from 11am.-3pm. and 5pm.-11pm. Mondays to Thursdays, 11am.-3pm. and 5pm.-12pm. on Saturdays and 11am. to 11pm. on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Valencia's San Pio V Fine Arts Museum is helping to make the general public more aware of the work of El Greco with an exhibition that shows both his work and that of other painters who admired him. El Greco. Toledo. 1900 recreates the atmosphere of early 20th century Toledo, a key moment in the recovery of the figure of El Greco.

24 canvases painted by El Greco and his Workshop, from different public and private collections in Toledo at the start of the 20th century, a fine example of the Obras completas de Jenofonte, annotated by El Greco and belonging to the library of the Marques de la Vega Inclan, as well as a portrait of the artist painted by Joaquin Sorolla in 1910 can be seen at the San Pio V Fine Arts Museum in Valencia until June 15th.

The Dansa València festival of dance will be celebrating its anniversary at nine venues throughout the city of Valencia from 25th April to 4th May. Hosting the event are theatres such as the Teatro Principal, the Teatro de los Manantiales, the Talia and l'Altre Espai, plus independent venues such as the Carme Teatre, El Corral de la Olivera, Espacio Inestable, Teatro Circulo and the Teatro Grancielo. This year's festival will see a special award go to Mats Ek for his contribution to world dance. Also being celebrated this year is the 10th anniversary of the regional government's Choreography Centre for Theatres (the Centro Coreografico de Teatres de la Generalitat), in special honour of which Dansa València 2008 will be showcasing a performance comprising 10 solos from 10 male and female choreographers from Valencia who have been linked to the Centre's work during the 10 years of its existence.

The IVAM will host an exhibition of works by the North American artist Darryl Pottorf until 18th May. This artist uses innovative techniques that include painting, drawing and photography to create compositions that blend the historical, architectural and cultural images he has gathered in his travels around the world. The exhibition consists of 55 works, most belonging to the 2007 series Experiments in Consequence, which includes images of the city of Valencia.

Valencia is getting ready for the celebration of Fallas, the traditional fiesta declared of International Touristic Interest. Nuevo Centro becomes everyone's center of attention until March 15th with the ninots exhibit, organized by the Fallas board in Valencia.

The streets of Valencia are getting ready for the big Fallas celebration. Different activities throughout the city announce the proximity of the biggest and most important fiesta for Valencians.

One more year, Valencia becomes the ideal stage for the representation of new artistic trends in the world of arts and culture. Theatrical performances, music and dance take prime stage at a series of events where sound becomes the main attractive (human sounds, sound produced by musical instruments, or technological gadgets).

Two different performances bv VEO and two different co-productions come to the streets, starring Valencian actors, authors, musicians, choreographers and dancers. This highly innovative program includes experimental and daring performances that create a very special link between actors and spectators. The performances differ greatly from what theatre goers are used to seeing on stage.

Festival MARITIME HOLY WEEK, From 14 to 23 March 2008, Cabañal Quarter

12th IAAF World Indoor Championships.
March 7-9, 2008
Palau Velodromo Luis Puig Valencia

The 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics Valencia 2008 will be held from March 7th to 9th, 2008 at Palau Velodromo Luis Puig.

The Valencian Institute for Modern Art (IVAM) presents the work of American photographer Elmer Batters, known for his erotic and fetishist images, in an exhibit now open until March 2nd. Come to the IVAM and discover the eroticism of Batters' faceless models.

Relive Spain's history through Antoni Tàpies art posters. Visit the MuVIM and share the Catalan artist's engagement with Spain's history. The exhibit is open until February 3rd. The Museu Valencià de la Il.lustracio i la Modernitat (MuVIM) hosts the exhibit Tàpies: Grafismo y compromiso (Tapies: Graphic art and commitment), an exhibit of 85 art posters that reflects the key role of this discipline in the trajectory of this Catalan artist, his engagement with Spanish history, and his classical evolution as an artist.

The 12th edition of the Flamenco Festival comes on stage at the Palau de la Musica in Valencia next January 16th, featuring some of the best flamenco artists and performers.

Eva Garrido, better known by her nickname Eva la Yerbabuena, will open the festival with her most recent show, Santo y Seña. The German-born Granada artist displays her talent and creativity in a show that combines different rhythms, such as tango, buleria or seguidilla.

Baroque vanguard is the title of a new exhibit on the obscure expressionism of Valencian artist Juan de Ribera Berenguer. His works, going back to the 1950s, are now on display at the Centro del Carmen. Do not miss this impressive exhibit!

For the first time, art lovers in Spain have a chance to visit the IVAM exhibit on Giorgio De Chirico, exploring the relationship between his paintings and 20th century architecture.

Visitors have until February 17th to discover the work of this Italian artist, one of the most influential surrealists and founder of the artistic movement known as the scuola metafisica, an art form characterized by the placing of images in empty architectonic frameworks alluding to a reality located beyond the painted object.

The exhibit Marylin and glamour / Marylin y el glamour is now on display at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània Octubre, from December 12th until February 10th. The exhibit contains a collection of personal objects belonging to the famous American actress.

The exhibit is organized by L´Octubre Centre de Cultura Contemporània and the Coleccion Maite Minues Ricart, and contains personal objects belonging to the actress, dresses, drawings and photographs.

Enjoy an original Christmas celebration at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, now offering a complete Christmas program that includes activities for visitors of all ages.

Starting December 10th until January 6th, visitors can enjoy a variety of workshops, storytelling, theatre, parties and sports at the Ciutat.

The works of fifteen Shanghai artists representing classical Oriental works and their progresion towards the most current Western trends are now on display at the IVAM's Sala Muralla. The exhibit is open until next January 6th.

Arte chino. Shangai International Association includes works by some of the best Chinese contemporary artists, such as Wang Jieyin, Xu Xuenchu, or Ding Living. The 69 works on display reflect the political, cultural and economic changes that have taken place in China since the end of the 1980s and were reflected in the arts, particularly in painting.

Visit the Oceanogràfic and discover a different universe at the coral reefs exhibit, entitled Corales, arquitectos del oceano. Visitors have until next March 31st to get to know these marine invertebrate animals, their different varieties and their environmental role. The exhibit shows 43 unique coral pieces together with information panels. Let yourself be carried away to the marine depths!

The exhibit has several interesting graphic panels to help visitors understand the biodiversity of coral reefs and their intriguing universe through text and images. Visitors will be able to understand the biological, social and economic impact these marine animals have in our world.

Do you enjoy original live shows and have a good sense of humor? don't miss Circuito Cafe Teatro, open from October through May! Ever since its inception in 2001, Circuito Cafe Teatro has never ceased to amaze with its promotion of the nouvelle scenic artists in Spain.

Become familiar with Valencian history at the MUVIM. An exhibit with photographs, videos and documents revisits the tragic floods of 1957 that tested the solidarity of the city's inhabitants. The exhibit is open until December 2nd.

50 years ago, a devastating flood destroyed the city of Valencia. The Museo Valenciano de la Ilustracion y la Modernidad (MUVIM) marks its 50th Anniversary with a special retrospective on this tragic event while paying homage to the victims. Part of the exhibit will be on display at Almudin until November 25th.
The flood left behind a trail of personal and material damages. However, it also motivated public authorities to implement a series of urban planning projets that contributed to the economic and social transformation of the city.

The IVAM presents The imaginary musem (El museo imaginario), an exhibit containing Gerardo Rueda's private collection. Rueda, born in Madrid, was one of the most prominent figures in Spanish abstract painting throughout the 20th century. The collection includes art pieces and a wide array of objects acquired by Rueda himself throughout his life at different second-hand markets and antique stores. The exhibit opens at the IVAM / Museo de la Ciudad from November 15 until January 20, 2008.

The exhibit Sorolla: Vision de España (Sorolla: A vision of Spain) opens next November 7th at the Centro Cultural Bancaja. The exhibit will show for the first time in Spain 14 works painted by the Valencian artist for the Hispanic Society of America.

The artist painted these impressive mural paintings between 1912 and 1919. The murals have since covered the walls of the Hispanic Society of America in New York and now visit Spain in what is one of the most relevant cultural events of the year.

Exhibition: MARIANO BENLLIURE AND THE BULLFIGHTING FESTIVAL

CENTRO DEL CARMEN
C/ Museu, 3
Phone +34 963 152 024
Tuesday-sunday. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Free entrace

Stylist Tono Sanmartin´s surprising hair sculptures are now on exhibit at the IVAM from October 23rd until December 2nd. Tono Sanmartin, a prestigious hairstylist twice recognized as the best and most avant-garde stylist, presents a collection of his best creations and hair styling models at Gallery 8 in the Centro Julio Gonzalez (Valencia).

Come enjoy the tasty, succulent Rice Week at the Museo de las Ciencias Prince Felipe! The exhibit, which includes sections on Arroz sostenible, Faicas de arroz Valencia, Mundo del arroz, and El proceso del arroz, will take place between October 15th-21st. The exhibit will host workshops and courses on rice-based foods and beverages, new culinary trends, and even a Japanese party. Visit the museum and enjoy a wide variety of rice samplings. not just paella!

UEFA Champions League Group B:
Valencia v Schalke 04

28 Nov 2007
Mestalla Stadium
Valencia play Schalke 04 in this Champions League group match at the Mestalla Stadium.