Madrid’s ‘Muestra T’, the city’s official LGBTQ+ cultural festival, is marking its 20th anniversary. Organisers say the need for critical, activist art is more pressing than ever. With far-right discourse and policies gaining ground in Spain, the festival’s curators and artists are using exhibitions and film, alongside performance, to defend diversity and collective memory.
Launched a year after Spain’s first same-sex marriage in 2005, ‘Muestra T’ was created to bring LGBTQ+ stories to the forefront. Its programme has ranged from painting and cinema to photography, with dance, theatre and experimental art also featured. Its mission has remained constant: to unite activism and creativity, making visible the realities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the capital. Organisers say art has long given voice to what could not be openly said, especially in times of repression.
This year’s edition carries a sense of urgency. Its theme echoes activist Pedro Zerolo’s call for “citizen pride” and responds directly to what organisers describe as a rollback of civil rights and the spread of exclusionary, extremist narratives. Juan Carlos Alonso, general coordinator of MADO (Madrid Pride), says the creative process itself is now a form of resistance, especially as political forces attempt to erase or rewrite LGBTQ+ history.
One of the festival’s core aims is to connect younger generations with the community’s past, so the names and stories of those who fought for rights are not forgotten. Cecilia Montagut, an Argentine filmmaker and member of the festival’s board, warns that as older generations disappear, younger people who did not experience repression firsthand are more vulnerable to manipulation. She points to recent far-right victories in Latin America and the rise of parties like Vox in Spain, which have led to equality offices closing and open hostility toward cultural initiatives.
Montagut’s documentary ‘Memoria y sexualidad de las mujeres bajo el franquismo’, screening on July 17, explores the repression of lesbian and bisexual women during the Franco dictatorship. She sees the festival as a bridge between academic research and the general public, using art to challenge initial prejudices and encourage broader understanding.
Visual artist Felipe Rivas’s exhibition ‘Un archivo inexistente’ uses artificial intelligence to reconstruct lost moments of queer intimacy in Latin America. Rivas argues that art’s power to imagine alternative realities is especially critical as governments cut cultural funding. He says the lack of archival material on sexual dissidence, particularly among working-class Latin Americans, has left many stories untold or distorted by mainstream narratives.
In 2024, Argentina’s government announced severe cuts to its national film and arts institute. In Spain, Vox’s entry into over 140 local governments led to the elimination of many equality departments. Rivas believes critical art is impressive for emancipation and visibility in this climate.
The national policy debate also reaches into workplaces. Real Decreto 1026/2024 sets out measures to promote LGBTQ+ equality and prevent discrimination at work, including a protocol to support employees undergoing a workplace transition. Óscar Rodríguez Fernández, international relations officer at the Federación Estatal LGTBI+, warned in an interview with Corresponsables that “no right is guaranteed forever.” He pointed to continuing discrimination and hate speech, as well as barriers affecting trans, non-binary and intersex people and people living with HIV.
This year’s programme is the festival’s most ambitious yet, with more than 15 exhibitions across Madrid and nearby towns like Chinchón and Aranjuez. It also includes an online gallery for national and international artists, film screenings and electronic music sessions, alongside workshops. Special attention goes to lesbian and trans visibility. Projects like ‘Muéstrate con ellas’, a platform for works by women artists, have grown significantly over the past two decades. Montagut will also present ‘Cárceles Bolleras’, a documentary on discrimination and resistance among lesbian inmates.
Festival activities coordinator Natacha Nazer describes ‘Muestra T’ as a showcase for emerging talent and a tool for social awareness, especially in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ policies. The festival’s longevity, she says, reflects public interest and the continuing need for spaces that encourage diversity and challenge dominant narratives.
For many involved, Madrid needs a permanent, recognisable LGBTQ+ space. Montagut says that without such venues, women’s demands in particular risk losing visibility or being perceived as threatening. Reflecting on two decades of ‘Muestra T’, Alonso sees the festival as a living record of the community’s past and achievements, as well as its aspirations.
Madrid’s cultural and political field has shifted significantly in recent years, as new platforms and movements challenge the status quo. The launch of Independientes por Madrid, led by Marta Higueras, has added to the city’s dynamic political scene, as reported in coverage of Madrid’s developing political field. Against this backdrop, ‘Muestra T’ remains a focal point for artistic resistance and community solidarity.
Spain remains one of Europe’s most prominent countries for LGBTQ+ rights. It legalised same-sex marriage in 2005 and hosts one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations. The current political climate, but, has introduced new uncertainties. Debates over cultural funding and the visibility of minority groups intersect with concerns about preserving historical memory, keeping events like ‘Muestra T’ in focus. As the festival enters its third decade, its organisers and participants are determined to keep art at the centre of the struggle for equality and recognition.
