The award was bestowed for the “persistent and invaluable work of promoting, valuing, and supporting Portuguese performing arts,” and “the significance of strategic projects developed” throughout the career, which aimed to strengthen artistic cooperation and exchange between Spain and Portugal.
The jury appreciated Américo Rodrigues’s “defense of citizens’ cultural rights” and his efforts for “the safeguarding of Portuguese performing arts.” They also recalled his career as an entertainer, cultural programmer, and director of the Municipal Theater of Guarda (2005-2013), highlighting his promotion of cross-border networks with Castile and León and Extremadura.
Américo Rodrigues, born in Guarda in 1961, was appointed as the Director-General of Arts in 2019, initially on an acting basis, and again in 2022, following a public competition by the Recruitment and Selection Commission for Public Administration (CReSAP).
Previously, he directed the Eduardo Lourenço Municipal Library (2005-2018) in his hometown.
With a degree in Portuguese Language and Culture from the University of Beira Interior and a master’s in Speech Sciences from the University of Aveiro, Américo Rodrigues is a poet, actor, director, and cultural programmer. He was one of the founders of the Aquilo Teatro group, and the Luzlinar and CalaFrio Cultural Theatre Associations.
In 2011, he was awarded the Medal of Cultural Merit for his contribution to the cultural development of the Guarda region.
The Rosa María García Cano Award, named after the festival’s founder, celebrates its 14th edition this year. Established in 2012, it aims to recognize the continuous efforts of individuals, groups, and institutions in supporting, promoting, and developing culture in Spain and Portugal.
This year’s national award recognizes the Spanish Federation of Professional Circus Associations, while the regional award goes to the La Parrala Scenic Creation Center, part of the Burgos Performing Arts Association, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The award ceremony is scheduled for August 27 at the Montarco Palace in Ciudad Rodrigo, coinciding with the 28th edition of the Castilla y León Theater Festival, which runs from August 26 to 30.
The FITEI – Iberian Expression International Theater Festival, Artemrede, i Festival from d’Orfeu of Águeda, and the Mandrágora Puppets Theatre of Espinho, are among the Portuguese entities previously honored with the Rosa María García Cano International Award.
