The Alcalá de Guadaíra City Council has approved in Plenary the granting of the Ciudad de Alcalá 2026 Prizes, which recognise nine individuals and entities for their trajectory and contribution to the municipality. Among the awardees are teachers, artists, activists, and a researcher from the CSIC.
The Plenary of the Alcalá de Guadaíra City Council has given the green light to the granting of the Ciudad de Alcalá 2026 Prizes, the highest institutional distinction of the municipality. The agreement, adopted in the plenary session, recognises the trajectory, commitment, and contribution of nine individuals and entities who have stood out for their service to the locality.
Among the awardees is María Quirós Acejo, a Geography and History teacher who has dedicated over 40 years to teaching at IES Cristóbal de Monroy, where she has served as director for the last two decades. Her connection to the centre takes on special significance in the year the institute celebrates its 50th anniversary, established as an educational benchmark in the Los Alcores region.
Also distinguished is Francisca Olías Ferrera, an educator, activist, and key political figure in the democratic history of Alcalá de Guadaíra. She was a councillor for Education and deputy mayor in the first democratic council, and is currently an active promoter of local democratic memory and cultural heritage. She participates in associations such as the Historical Memory Association and gives talks on the industrial history of Alcalá in local schools.
The award also recognises Araceli de Alcalá, a flamenco dancer, teacher, and copla artist from the locality. With a solid career dedicated to art and teaching, she has become a reference figure in the preservation and dissemination of flamenco cultural heritage and copla, contributing to keeping alive a legacy that is part of the municipality's identity.
Joaquín Ordóñez Jiménez, an Adult Education teacher and a reference in the pacifist, environmentalist, and memorialist movement, will also receive the award. President of the Ecologist Association AlWadi-Ira and a prominent member of the Civic Platform Save the Guadaíra, he has promoted the recovery of the Guadaíra River for decades. Additionally, he is co-author of the book History of the Olive Oil Women of Alcalá de Guadaíra (2002), which rescues the memory of these workers.
Magdalena Alfaro Basilio, a stage director with over 30 years of experience and founding partner of Indio Producciones SL, has been recognised for her work in Social Theatre. Trained at the Independent Actors School of Cádiz, she has developed theatrical and social intervention projects with various institutions, associations, and NGOs.
The scientific researcher from the CSIC, Juan Carlos Sánchez López, a native of Alcalá de Guadaíra and trained at the Salesian School Nuestra Señora del Águila and IES Cristóbal de Monroy, is also among the awardees. A specialist in nanotechnology and tribology at the Institute of Materials Science of Seville, his research contributes to ecological transition and the aerospace sector.
The Grand Allegro Dance Studio, founded in 1997 and directed by Mª Ángeles Martín and Nuria Cámpora, has been awarded for its work in training and promoting dance and the Pilates method. Affiliated with the Royal Academy of Dance, it offers annual exams for obtaining its own qualification. Its headquarters on Mairena Street has become a meeting place and experience for the community.
The ceramist and painter Jesús Alcarazo Velasco receives the award for his excellence in artistic ceramics, his contribution to the urban and historical heritage of Alcalá, and his recent receipt of the Niculoso Pisano 2026 Award, one of the highest accolades in ceramics in the province. Among his local works are the altarpiece of the Virgen del Águila and the ceramic decoration of the façade of the Beca Dental Clinic.
The Ciudad de Alcalá 2026 Prizes will be awarded at an institutional event that will take place in the coming weeks, according to the City Council. The specific date and location will be announced soon through the official channels of the City Council.
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