The two institutions have worked together to offer a special programme for La Mercè, directly linked with the material and intangible heritage of Catalonia: from human towers and sardana dancing to the fire festivals of the Pyrenees, all of them recognised by UNESCO.

Activities are planned in particularly iconic public spaces, including Passeig de Gràcia and Park Güell, with a circus, visual arts and music inviting people to rediscover and celebrate the shared cultural legacy in a top-class prelude to the festival that follows a few days later.

Mercè Arts de Carrer

Don’t miss the travelling show El batec de la memoria in Passeig de Gràcia between Consell de Cent and Diagonal on Tuesday, 23 September, at 10 pm, and Friday, 26 September, at 8.30 pm and 11 pm, offered by the company Insectotròpics. This is an invitation to reconnect with tranquillity, renounce haste and become immersed in the symbolic and organic world of Gaudí. And what if memory emerges as energy in movement? You will reread modernista heritage with the languages of imagination and art, engaging in a shared experience that calls for you to live urban life at a more natural pace. The show is a joint production by the Barcelona Institute of Culture and the Insectotròpics company, with the collaboration of the Palau Robert (Directorate-General for Dissemination – Government of Catalonia). Formed in Barcelona in 2011, Insectotròpics (Laia Ribas, Xanu and Maria Thorson) opts for a hybrid form of languages and multidisciplinary shows. Their language combines live painting with live cinema, dramaturgy and music, getting audiences involved in their productions.

As a second project linked to intangible heritage, the Mercè Arts de Carrer takes us to Park Güell for a free show by the Voël company entitled Immaterial (Saturday, 27, at 5.30 pm and 7 pm, entrances of El Carmel, Sant Josep de la Muntanya and Marianao). This multidisciplinary show has no text and uses circus arts and powerful poetic and visual imagination to pay homage to some of the material assets in our land.

In Immaterial, the circus craft of Voël depicts the fire festivals of the Pyrenees, Catalonia’s human towers, the Patum de Berga, manual bellringing and dry stone wall building, all declared as forms of Catalan intangible heritage by UNESCO. Voël is made up of Debi Cobos and Jordi Serra, creators of shows with strong visual poetry and dreamlike images loaded with symbolism.

Mondiacult at Música Mercè

Coinciding with Mondiacult and the candidacy for Catalan rumba to become UNESCO intangible heritage, there’s a music show in Av. Catedral on Wednesday 24, at 8 pm, to mark the centenary of Antonio González Batista ‘El Pescadilla’, one of the flamenco musicians from Barcelona whose innovation made Catalan rumba possible as we know it today.

A century after his birth, new local music generations pay homage to the figure and style of El Pescadilla, with sounds that bear the Antillean imprint. Cándido Álvarez, from Flamenco Barcelona, is directing the project, with arrangements from Manuel González ‘El Patata’, Xavier Batllés and Pau Vidal. Participating in the concert will be the dancer Antonia González Amaya, daughter of El Pescadilla’s first wife, and his grandson, the guitarist Carlos Carmona González, along with other artists, relatives, friends and followers of the maestro. The concert has the support of Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia, and continues the line of commemorative shows during La Mercè in recent years, such as the 50^th anniversary of the Zeleste venue and the homage to Chile.

Antonio González Batista was the real name of El Pescadilla, a nickname inherited from his very tall father, along with an innate talent for the guitar. This Catalan gypsy was a key figure in the flamenco scene of C/ Escudellers and the local vicinity, where flamenco, rock, son, jazz and rumba could all be heard. This combination of sounds shaped his style and made him one of the essential voices of the city at night in the 40s and 50s. Lola Flores, who he married, immediately recognised the potential of the new sound and projected him towards a broader audience.

Popular culture

The Historical Human Towers Meeting is always a significant moment in the traditional culture programme for La Mercè, but more so this year. On the occasion of Mondiacult, for this meeting (in Pl. Sant Jaume on Sunday, 28, at 12 noon) the host group of the Castellers de Barcelona will not be inviting two prestigious Catalan groups, but three: the Minyons de Terrassa, the Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls and the Castellers de Vilafranca

Sardana dancing is also recognised as Intangible Heritage of Humanity and will be present from the outset at the festivities, opening with the Sardanes Inaugurals (with music from the Cobla Sant Jordi- Ciutat de Barcelona) in Pl. Nova on 23 September, at 7 pm.

There’s more sardana dancing in Pl. Mercè on 24 September (6 pm), with a meeting by the ACFB Cobla La Principal del Llobregat. A few days later, the Federació de Colles Sardanistes de Barcelona will be organising the 75th Sports Sardana Competition in Av. Catdedral (Pl. Nova) on Sunday 28, at 11 am. This is the activity which has been held for the most consecutive years at La Mercè, with music from the Cobla La Marinada. The music continues during the sardana dancing from 1 pm. On the same day, in the afternoon, there’s another sardana session in Pl. Sant Jaume at 4.45 pm, organised by the ACFB, also with music from the Cobla La Marinada.

Check the festival website for La Mercè to see the full programme.