The Community of Madrid has already got four editions of Suma Flamenca to its credit. In the past four years, the Festival has become firmly established as a major event on the national and international flamenco art scene, and we are about to inaugurate a new edition.

Madrid's many flamenco fans, as well as the great number of international visitors who will attend the festival's upcoming edition, will have the chance to enjoy top quality flamenco in Chinchón, Alcalá de Henares, Torrelodones, Alcobendas, La Cabrera, and Rivas Vaciamadrid and at other treasured sites that form part of the Community of Madrid's historical and cultural heritage.

The masters of flamenco art offer us a Suma that will go down both in the history of Madrid's cultural scene and in the history of flamenco art.

In time, and with a lot of hard work, Suma has managed to help make Madrid the capital of flamenco. Four years ago, nobody could have predicted that flamenco's typical polka-dot print dresses would one day become an icon of Madrid's cultural scene.

Thirty-three different shows with prestigious artists of recognized standing, stars that also make way for younger promising artists, fifteen different venues, flamenco singing and dancing together turn Madrid into one huge tablao, an impressive flamenco stage.

And so, in 2010 the Community of Madrid will continue to include flamenco for all audiences and for all artistic sensibilities, for both Spanish and international fans. As a region, we are open to every aspect of culture in all its manifestations and also open to different initiatives and, because of this, Suma is twinned with Seville's Biennial, with the Festival del Cante de Minas de la Unión (La Union's Flamenco Mine Song Festival) and with all other flamenco festivals supported and organized by other institutions.

I would specially like to thank everyone who has cooperated in this edition for their efforts and for, once again, allowing us to position this event as one of the most important festivals in Spain. Let us all enjoy flamenco art.

Ignacio González González
Vice-President, Cultural and Sports Attaché and Government Spokesperson
Community of Madrid