Cruïlla's formula to be one of the only summer festivals in post covid Barcelona

The Cruïlla Festival has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis, but its organizers have launched a compact festival, dubbed the XXS

In a really difficult year for the culture sector, a lot of things have had to be done differently and it has been necessary to find new ways to keep going. One of the first groups to respond to the limitations of the Covid-19 crisis are the organizers of one of Barcelona's favorite summer festivals: the Cruïlla Music Festival.

The Cruïlla is the city's third major music festival alongside Primavera Sound and Sónar and is aimed at a much more local audience. Since its inception in 2008, it has been one of the opening acts of the summer season in Barcelona, bringing a fresh, indie, summery touch to the music scene. Despite being forced to cancel this year's festival, the organizers have decided to create a new, compact festival, the Cruïlla XXS. This is a pioneering approach for Barcelo-na, a new type of event specially designed to meet the compulsory security measures that festivals have to comply with. The Cruïlla XXS will feature 200 open-air activities in iconic Barcelona spaces such as the Poble Espanyol, the "Mod-ernista" Sant Pau venue, the Camp Nou, the Barcelona Design Hub and the gardens of the National Theatre of Catalo-nia.

"The Cruïlla XXS is the first festival in Barcelona to make changes to meet the new hygiene and safety standards for major events"

The program, with activities throughout the month of July, will continue to boast the distinctive Cruïlla style, with a varied line-up including both well-known and emerging names from the local music and arts scene. These include Cesk Freixas and Laia Llach, la Fura del Baus, Doctor Prats, Nil Moliner, Sopa de Cabra, Ramon Mirabet, and many more. With the slogan 'Less is more', the organizers have announced that the new format will have fewer big names but more artists (almost 200) and more local, home-grown talent; fewer stages but more city venues; fewer people but greater security; and fewer festival hours but spread over more days (1st - 31st July).

In addition to concerts, the XXS will include performing arts, monologues, circus shows and talks. The festival will feature groups from the local scene such as Dance is life by Brodas Bros, Mara-bunta by Guillem Albà & La Marabunta, Ocaña, and many more.

Maximum capacity will be 400 people per event at the concerts and other activities organized by Cruïlla XXS this July in Barcelona. Concert-goers will be seated in such a way as to respect the safety distance and necessary hygiene rules. There will be time slots to access the venues in order to prevent crowds forming at the entrances and exits. Safety and hygiene regulations will be strictly observed throughout the festival.