On October 8, 2026, the Escola Municipal de Música Folk e Tradicional (ETRAD) will host a concert at 20:00 in the Municipal Auditorium to inaugurate the 2026-2027 academic year for municipal art schools. This event marks a special occasion as it commemorates the 30th anniversary of the school.
Mayor Abel Caballero emphasized the significance of traditional Galician music as an integral part of the city's cultural identity. He stated, “We strongly support traditional music because it serves as an anchor in our tradition, anthropology, and DNA.” He also highlighted the city's commitment to municipal training in dance, theater, and music.
The mayor explained that the city council maintains substantial financial support for municipal art schools, which collectively have 1,696 enrolled students. The Escola Municipal de Artes e Oficios has a budget of 1.4 million euros and is entirely free of charge, while ETRAD receives a municipal contribution of 282,000 euros, with a 100% subsidy for students. Additionally, the Escola Municipal de Música is funded with nearly half a million euros, covering 70% of student enrollment costs; the Escola Municipal de Teatro receives over 100,000 euros with a 75% subsidy; and the Escola Municipal de Danza is subsidized at 96%.
Caballero noted that this support facilitates access to artistic and cultural education, and he emphasized that the ETRAD concert will serve as a welcome to the new academic year while celebrating three decades of promoting traditional Galician music in the city.
