AWARD “GUITARRA CON ALMA”

The award was established in 2019 by the founder of the house, José Ignacio Franco, who noticed that the Festival de Jerez honored all categories except guitarists. His idea gained the support of the renowned guitarist Manuel Valencia, who accompanied José Ignacio in the first meeting with the director of Teatro Villamarta.
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Since its first edition, the award has been handcrafted by the artist María del Carmen Reyes Ruiz, a ceramic artisan from the town of Chipiona, Cádiz. She is the mother of Antonio González Reyes, a former student of José Ignacio and now one of the most outstanding young guitarists.

The award was approved by the Festival de Jerez following a proposal by José Ignacio to Isamay Benavente, the former director of Teatro Villamarta and organizer of the Festival de Jerez. After several meetings, the award's details were finalized, including its name — also conceived by José Ignacio— as well as the criteria that the recipient would need to meet to earn it.
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Isamay entrusted the selection of the jury to official critics who attend all the events of the festival’s program. These critics would evaluate, above all, the soul of the guitarist and their music, prioritizing this characteristic over any other.