Field trip to the Real World Laboratory in Genalguacil. The Rural Innovation Lab is located in Genalguacil and the surrounding villages of the Valle del Genal region in Andalusia, Spain. This distinctive neo-rural area is located at the southernmost tip of Europe and has a rich cultural and historical heritage spanning thousands of years. However, it currently faces several urgent challenges, including the effects of climate change, unsustainable coastal mass tourism, rural gentrification, and severe depopulation.
Genalguacil, a village of 471 inhabitants, lies within this complex ecological and social landscape. Renowned for its whitewashed architecture, it is considered one of Andalucía's most beautiful pueblos blancos (white villages). However, over the past six decades, Genalguacil has lost nearly two-thirds of its population.
Since 1994, the municipality has therefore championed an arts- and culture-led strategy to counter depopulation and create sustainable alternatives to mass tourism. This has involved commissioning public artworks and fostering cultural exchange through its biennial Encuentros de Arte event.
Detailed information will follow soon.