From May 8 to 18, the city of A Coruña will be filled with color, art and demand with the eighth edition of Corufest, an already consolidated festival that celebrates emotional-sexual and gender diversity with cultural proposals for all tastes. Does it sound like another festival to you? Well it’s not.
Corufest does not only focus on entertainment: its true essence is on visibility, activism and the right to exist with pride. And yes, there is a party, but there is also reflection, debate and a critical look at the reality we live as LGTBIQ+ community.
What is Corufest and why does it matter?
Born in 2017, Corufest emerged as a safe space for artists, creators and activists who do not always find their place in traditional cultural circuits. In just a few years it has managed to become an essential meeting point for diversity, not only in Galicia, but throughout the State.
This 2025, the program includes more than 15 activities between theater, music, literature, cinema, round tables and performances. And the most beautiful thing: everything is designed from an inclusive and accessible perspective.
In addition, the festival continues to bet on local talent, mixed with powerful names from the national scene, such as Bob Pop, who returns to the Galician stage with a performative talk about gender and memory.
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A programming that has it all
Here is a glimpse of what you can see if you stop by A Coruña on those dates:
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🎭 Queer plays and performance in spaces such as the Fórum Metropolitano or the Teatro Rosalía.
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🎤 Concerts by dissident artists, from urban music to experimental pop.
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📚 Literary meetings with LGTBIQ+ authors who present their latest publications.
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🧠 Talks and round tables about rights, mental health, trans visibility, historical memory and more.
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🎬 Diverse cinema, with shorts and documentaries that do not usually reach commercial platforms.
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🏆 Samuel Luiz Award, which this year is awarded to the ALAS A Coruña Association for its social and community work.
Entry to many activities is free and the paid ones have quite affordable prices. A detail that also speaks of the festival’s real commitment to social inclusion.
And who organizes it?
Corufest is promoted by the collective Tanto Nos Ten, together with the support of the A Coruña City Council, various social entities and cultural centers in the city. It is not an improvised festival: behind it there is continuous work throughout the year to design a careful and coherent programming.
The objective is not only to celebrate, but also educate, accompany and empower. Each artistic proposal or talk comes with an intention: to generate conversation, stir consciences and broaden perspectives.
A city that is transforming
During the days of the festival, A Coruña becomes a living stage. Not only cultural spaces are dyed rainbow, but also the streets, bars and even independent bookstores.
Many residents experience it as an opportunity to rediscover their city from diversity, and also to get closer to realities that may not be part of their daily lives.
A Coruña, in addition, has a strong symbolic value: it is the city where Samuel Luiz lived, murdered in 2021 in a homophobic crime that shook the entire country. Since then, the festival has carried his name on one of the main awards, as a way of keeping his memory alive and demanding justice.
Is there anything wrong with all this?
Well yes. Although Corufest grows every year, there are still those who question its real impact outside of the already aware environment. Does the message reach people who still live with prejudices? Or do we end up talking to each other, in a rainbow bubble?
There are also open debates about the public financing of this type of festivals, which some conservative sectors criticize without ever having set foot in a single activity. And although the festival promotes accessibility, there are still barriers for people with functional diversity or neurodivergences, who do not always find adapted or safe spaces.
Why should you go?
Because Corufest is much more than a cultural event. It is a declaration of intent. It is a collective cry that says: “we are here, we exist, we create, we resist.” And that, in these times of setbacks and hate speech, is more necessary than ever.
Also, if you like queer art, music that doesn’t play on commercial radio or you simply want to spend a few days in good company, A Coruña awaits you with open arms and the sea in the background.
Reflect too…
Do festivals like Corufest really transform society or do they only serve as a temporary refuge? Are we knowing how to communicate our struggle outside of the activist environment? What more can we do so that spaces like this stop being the exception?
We don’t have all the answers, but we keep looking. Because living with pride also means asking yourself uncomfortable questions.
In summary:
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When: May 8 to 18, 2025
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Where: A Coruña (several cultural spaces)
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Organize: Tanto Nos Ten + institutional and community collaboration
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Why go: art, visibility, pride and community
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More info: search for @corufest on networks or visit the town hall website
