Mayor José Luis Sanz presented the official poster for the Velá de Santa Ana 2026 this Friday, created by artist María Tapia. The piece, an acrylic on linen measuring 64.5 by 81 centimetres, features a fan that unfolds a panoramic view of the Triana neighbourhood.
The City Council of Seville unveiled the poster that will announce the Velá de Santa Ana 2026, the oldest festival in the city, this Friday. The work, created by Jienense artist María Tapia Quesada, centres around a fan, a direct nod to the tradition of the great women of Triana. Mayor José Luis Sanz was responsible for presenting the piece at an event held at the town hall.
A Fan That Tells a Story
The poster, painted in acrylic on linen, measures 64.5 by 81 centimetres. In it, the fan unfolds to reveal a panoramic view of the Triana neighbourhood, with the Triana bridge adorned with lanterns, the chapel of Carmen, and the steps of Calle Betis filled with stalls. The tower of the parish of Santa Ana stands out, the setting for the celebrations in honour of the saint, accompanied by flares that symbolise the joys of her feast day.
One of the most striking details is the first rib of the fan, which is intentionally separated from the rest. As explained by the mayor, this detail evokes the traditional soapy pole: a swaying young man celebrates having reached the flag while another jumps into the river to try again. "It's a nod to the playful spirit of the Velá," Sanz noted.
The colour palette is inspired by the typical ceramic bowls of Triana, with a predominance of cobalt blue, copper green, and antimony yellow. The result is a fresh and spontaneous pictorial language, based on spots and loose strokes that refer to the pottery tradition of the neighbourhood. The composition draws from classic references in Seville's poster art, such as the 2008 Spring Festival poster by Concha Ybarra or the 1960 Seville Fair poster by A. Martín Cartaya.
Typography with Hidden Nods
The typography, designed by artist Laura Anaya, incorporates stars inspired by the ceramic geometry of Triana. It hides symbolic details: the second 'A' in 'Ana' includes a star with an eye, alluding to the eye disease suffered by Alfonso X the Wise and the religious origin of the festival. Among the letters of 'Triana', a guitar and a lantern can be distinguished, symbols of flamenco and the folklore of the neighbourhood.
The frame surrounding the work is decorated with hand-painted ornamental borders, featuring four different motifs on each side as a ceramic sample. Additionally, a limited series of physical fans featuring the poster design has been produced, allowing the people of Seville to keep a special memento of this edition.
María Tapia Quesada (Jaén, 1991) holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Seville and has extensive training at the National Mint and Stamp Factory, the National Library of Spain, and the Manolo Gordillo screen printing workshop. Among her works as a poster artist are the poster for the 2022 Spring Festival of the City Council of Seville, the site ticket for the extraordinary departure of the Virgen de la Paz on the occasion of her Canonical Coronation, and the posters for SIMOF, Olivares Barroco, and the Velá de Santa Ana 2026 itself.
"María Tapia is an established artist with a brilliant career and a special sensitivity to capture the essence of our traditions. We are convinced that her poster will become one of the most beloved and remembered of the recent editions of the Velá," concluded the mayor.
Awards and Programme
The Velá de Santa Ana 2026 has also announced the names of this year's awardees. The Trianeros de Honor will be guitarist Joselito Acedo; foreman Jesús Manuel Garduño Lara; Cuchillería Castilla, represented by Enrique González; Juan Carlos Sánchez Rivero; the elder brother of El Cachorro, José Luis Aldea Carbajo; Carmen Coronado; and Esteban Romera Domínguez.
The title of Trianeros del Año will be awarded to journalists José Antonio Rodríguez Benítez, the preacher of Holy Week in Seville 2026, and Alejandra Navarro González de la Higuera, deputy director of ABC de Sevilla. The title of Adoptive Trianeros will be granted to Yessica Brea Morilo; to Sebas Amaya from bar Akela; and to Lola de los Reyes.
In the section of institutional recognitions, the Honourable Institution will be the Vicente Aleixandre Institute, while the Business Trajectory Award will honour the company Sarigabo, represented by Paco Arias. The Niculoso Pisano Award will go to ceramist Jesús Alcarazo Velasco, and the Solidarity Award will recognise the work of the Nazareth Home. Finally, the Special Distinction for Artistic Trajectory will be awarded to Cantores de Híspalis in celebration of their fifty years of musical career.
The Velá will take place from July 14 to 26 with a programme that will include cultural, sporting, traditional, and musical activities spread across various points in the neighbourhood. The residents of Triana and visitors will be able to enjoy concerts, performances, popular games, and of course, the traditional soapy pole. The poster is already displayed on the facade of the City Hall of Seville, and the commemorative fans will be available in the coming days.
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