The streets of Redondela are once again filled with creativity, recycled waste and an ecological perspective With a new edition of Artelixo, the eco-festival that plays with trash to transform it into artistic pieces. Shop windows, squares, and corners of the city center are transformed these days into a kind of Outdoor museum which anyone can walk through without paying an entrance fee.
This event, now well established in the Vigo area, has become a space where art, community and environment go hand in handUnder a motto that looks to the sea and the impact of human activity on the estuary, Artelixo proposes to reflect, almost without realizing it, while we browse sculptures, installations and photographs born from what would normally end up in the container.
An eco-festival that turns trash into art
In this edition, Artelixo returns to Take over the center of Redondela with nearly one hundred works created from recycled materialsThe event transforms streets, squares and, above all, the shop windows of local businesses into improvised exhibition spaces that can be visited until April 11.
The exhibits in this open-air museum are varied, but they all share one thing in common: They are made from waste and residues that they regain a second lifeMany of them, in fact, come directly from the beaches of Cesantes and Arealonga, where a cleaning day was previously carried out to remove debris abandoned on the coast.
The result is a collection of works with a strong marine theme, allowing you to see at a glance how the waste we generate impacts the coastlineBottles, plastics, nets and other seemingly useless objects are transformed into sculptures or installations capable of attracting the attention of those strolling among viaducts and marshes.
Artelixo doesn't just place pieces in the streets: the organizing collective also proposes a route through the bars of Redondela To discover, through photographs displayed on the walls of the establishments, how far the sea once extended. This look back at the past helps to better understand the changes undergone by the Vigo estuary and the municipality itself.
"Ata here chegaba o mar!": a motto with an ecological message
The Artelixo edition is structured around the Galician motto «Ata aquí chegaba o mar!»The phrase is not just a catchy slogan: it summarizes the organization's intention to invite citizens to think about how the coastline has changed and what role human intervention has played in that transformation.
With this motto, the eco-festival seeks to raise awareness about the need to care for the Vigo estuary and the coastal environment, while placing at the center of the debate issues such as waste management, consumption patterns and the impact of our lifestyle on the climate and marine ecosystems.
The artworks scattered throughout the town center, the historical photographs, and the scheduled activities function as a kind of educational tour. Through them, a reflection on [the topic is explored]. the future of the planet and the urgency of moving towards more sustainable ways of lifebut without abandoning the friendly and festive tone that characterizes the event.
The eco-festival is thus presented as a meeting point between neighbors, artists and visitors where trash ceases to be an inconvenience and becomes a creative resource that allows us to talk about climate change, pollution, and social justice without resorting to overly solemn speeches.
A collective project: from the sea to the classrooms and exhibition halls
Artelixo is part of the project Gathering Science for the FutureThis is a broader initiative that understands citizen art as a blend of knowledge capable of imagining and building sustainable futures. Within this framework, various stakeholders with complementary perspectives collaborate.
Participants include AMARTURMAR, a group of professionals in coastal artisanal fishing, the Future Oceans Lab research team from the University of Vigo, the ArteLixo collective itself, the Redondela City Council and the Cidadanía S. Coop. Galega cooperative, which works to promote social participation in public policies.
This network of partnerships allows the eco-festival to go beyond simply exhibiting recycled works. The connection with the fishing sector and with ocean-focused research groups contributes a scientific basis and direct experience of the reality of the sea and the communities that live off it.
Alongside the street installations, several exhibitions are scheduled in the rooms of the Redondela multipurpose center. Room 1 features the work of Xosé Cabaleiro with his proposal “Pedras”, conceived as a tribute to both the Galicia Castro culture and rural Galicia, a culture that, in the artist's own words, cannot be separated from what happens in the reality that surrounds it.
In another room, painters from Redondela gather in a collective exhibition focused on the sea of the townHer canvases coexist with the photographic exhibition "Elas deciden: mulleres do mar de El Salvador e Galicia tecendo redes" (They decide: women of the sea from El Salvador and Galicia weaving nets), which connects, through images and testimonies, the artisanal fishing workers of both territories after their passage through reference spaces such as the Museo do Pobo Galego (Museum of the Galician People).
The exhibition section is completed with the recovery of FotoLixo, a selection of photographs linked to the project Mariscando conCiencias para o FuturoThe exhibition features scenes of work on the coast, environmental education activities, and key moments in this participatory process. All of these gallery displays remain open to the public until April 19.
Artelixo program: music, poetry, workshops and charity market
The Artelixo agenda officially begins on March 27. The opening ceremony will take place at the Redondela multipurpose center, hosted by the Onda Torrella program on Radio Redondela. From 7:00 PM, the space will be filled with music, featuring the group Manifesta-T, and the simultaneous opening of the various planned exhibitions.
From the following day, Saturday, March 28, the competition unfolds in full and The streets and shop windows of Redondela become a "Free Museum" Accessible to anyone visiting the town. Nearly a hundred artworks literally take over the urban fabric, where they will remain visible until April 11.
During these days, the eco-festival incorporates parallel activities aimed at very diverse audiences. One of the most unique events is "Poetry for peasants"In this event, students from the high schools in the marshland area take to the streets to fill the town with verses. This poetic intervention is held annually in conjunction with Artelixo and transforms the sidewalks into an impromptu literary space.
April 11th is the day for a large part of the complementary programming. On that day, the Alameda de Castelao hosts a second-hand market which operates throughout the day, from noon to eight in the evening, with stalls where clothes, books, household items and various reusable items are given another chance.
Later in the afternoon, at the Feira do Gando, it all begins ObraLixo, a workshop designed for girls, boys and families In this activity, children create objects and small artistic pieces from waste and discarded materials. This approach introduces young children to the concept of recycling in a practical and fun way.
SonaLixo and collaborative mural: art without barriers
The musical aspect of the eco-festival is concentrated in SonaLixoThis event brings together diverse musicians on stage without a rigid structure, aiming to create a connection with the audience and among the participants. Starting around six in the evening, it's conceived as an open space where music complements the other activities.
The initiative is taking place in parallel «O arte non ten cancelas»The project proposes the creation of a collaborative mural guided by the artist Xerardo Rodríguez, known as Chere. The proposal revives the spirit of what is considered the oldest graffiti in Redondela, originally located at the so-called "Scalextric" (a local landmark) and which championed a living marshland.
That historic mural was a symbol of the neighborhood struggles in defense of the environment, led by various associations in which Félix Cal played a prominent role. The new project being promoted by Artelixo aims to be a direct tribute to that figure and to all the people who defended the territoryConnecting past and present through urban art.
The day on April 11th is extended with the Millo Verde model competitionwhich extends the program into the evening. This maintains a festive atmosphere in the town, with concerts, informal gatherings, participatory activities, and visits to the artworks scattered throughout the town center.
Taken together, the sum of activities makes Artelixo function as more than just an exhibition of recycled works: it becomes a a cultural, social and environmental meeting point for residents and visitorswhere leisure blends with ecological awareness and support for local businesses.
The return of Artelixo to Redondela confirms the strength of an eco-festival that has successfully combined art, recycling, and reflection on the sea to create an event deeply rooted in the Vigo region; for several weeks, the town is transformed into a great showcase of citizen initiatives that demonstrate that, with imagination and collective work, waste can be the starting point for new ways of looking at the territory and rethinking the relationship with the environment.
