Just hours before the opening of Cosmopoética 2026, Pablo Téllez de la Poza, director of Verbo Servicios Culturales, lost his life in a motorcycle accident in Madrid. The festival will proceed as planned, but the loss casts a shadow over the event.
Late Thursday night, a crash on Madrid’s Calle Los Artesanos claimed the life of Pablo Téllez de la Poza. He was 49. Téllez de la Poza led Verbo Servicios Culturales and was set to direct Cosmopoética 2026. The accident happened at the intersection of Agrupación Córdoba and Los Artesanos. Emergency crews got several calls around 22:30. They arrived quickly, but could not save him. Spanish media, citing emergency services, confirmed the details.
The loss hit just before the festival’s opening. Hours before international guests were due to arrive, the cultural world lost one of its main organizers. Still, municipal sources told EFE that Cosmopoética will go on as planned. The opening event, with American writer Siri Hustvedt—winner of the 2019 Princesa de Asturias de las Letras—remains on the schedule for Friday night. Córdoba’s city officials, quoted by top Spanish outlets, said there will be no changes to the program. The show will go on.
The opening ceremony at Teatro Góngora, featuring Siri Hustvedt, was declared sold out even before the tragic news broke.
This year, Cosmopoética brings together more than 70 poets from across the globe. David Eloy Rodríguez coordinates the festival. The 2026 edition honors Jorge Luis Borges, forty years after his death. The slogan is "Inventar la alegría." Organizers are determined to keep the festival’s spirit alive. Multiple sources confirm the dedication to Borges and the festival’s place as a major event in Spain’s literary calendar. The mood is somber. The mission continues.
Téllez de la Poza shaped more than just Cosmopoética. He trained in scenography at the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Córdoba. He helped build events like Cordoblack and the Festival de Novela negra del Sur. His work made him a key figure in Spain’s literary scene. Cultural commentators say his vision helped put Córdoba on the map for innovative festivals. He left a mark.
The festival’s schedule will not change. But his absence will be felt. Colleagues and guests will notice. The choice to continue honors both the artists and the audiences who count on these gatherings. It also reflects the dedication Téllez de la Poza brought to every project. In Spain, festivals like Cosmopoética are vital for creative exchange. Losing a leader like him matters. The next few days will show how the festival carries on his work and delivers its ambitious program.
Despite the tragedy, organizers have confirmed that more than 70 poets will participate in this year’s Cosmopoética, making it one of the largest editions to date. The festival will take place under a mood of mourning, but its full program remains unchanged, according to municipal sources.
