Clotilde Entrecanales, Experiences Director, ACCIONA Cultura
ACCIONA is a global company, a leader in providing regenerative solutions for a decarbonised economy. Its range of services includes renewable energy, water treatment and management, eco-efficient transport and mobility systems, resilient infrastructure, etc. The company has been carbon neutral since 2016. ACCIONA earned revenues of €8.104 billion in 2021 and maintains a presence in more than 60 countries.
1- Can you describe your journey to becoming the Head of Experiences at ACCIONA Cultura?
I pursued art history with a focus on Persian art. My academic journey included curating an exhibition at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, which was my initial foray into exhibition design, displaying objects, and crafting spatial narratives. This experience required me to consider the textual story and the entire visitor journey and experience. Since then, whenever I visited exhibitions, I found myself analyzing the presentation techniques and the curators and designers' choices to tell their stories. Although I didn't have a formal education in exhibition design or experiential storytelling, these aspects eventually became my primary interest. I later joined Acciona Cultura and worked on developing content for a museum in Doha, collaborating with teams of exhibition designers. Specialists in lighting, sound, and audiovisual production to enhance the visitor experience. This work resonated with me deeply. Subsequently, I led the design and development of the Real Madrid Experience and an immersive exhibition on Frida Kahlo, both significant and successful projects for ACCIONA Cultura. Years later, this is where my career has led me!
2- The Summit is a melting pot of ideas and innovation. In what ways do you believe the discussions here will influence the future of cultural experiences?
I am confident that the discussions at the summit will be engaging, yet I believe the truly stimulating conversations will occur informally over coffee or lunch. During the two days we'll spend together in Madrid, these casual interactions under one roof could spark exciting new ventures, alliances, and projects. It's entirely possible that in the future, we might discover that a major cultural project or experience, like the X giga-cultural project, was first conceived during NEXT IN'24!
3- As a key speaker at the NEXT IN Summit, how do you plan to showcase ACCIONA Cultura’s innovative approaches to live cultural experiences?
As a key speaker representing ACCIONA Cultura at the NEXT IN Summit, we will focus on showcasing our innovative approaches to cultural experiences. This includes highlighting our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship through different initiatives. Additionally, we'll spotlight our use of cutting-edge technology and immersive storytelling techniques to create truly memorable and impactful experiences for audiences. By sharing these strategies and success stories, we hope to inspire other cultural institutions to embrace innovation and adopt sustainable practices in their operations.
4- Could you share your objectives for the NEXT IN Summit and what you hope attendees will take away from your panel discussion?
The goals for the NEXT IN Summit are dual in nature. First, we aim to catalyze dialogue and collaboration among industry leaders to foster innovation and progress within the cultural sector. Second, we intend to equip attendees with practical insights and strategies that they can implement in their own organizations. Our panel discussions are designed to encourage substantive conversations on topics including the role of creativity and innovation in enhancing cultural experiences, the critical importance of sustainability within cultural institutions, and the changing expectations of contemporary audiences. Our ultimate hope is that attendees depart the summit feeling inspired and informed, armed with the tools they need to effectively address the challenges and seize the opportunities in the cultural sector.
5- As we face global challenges, from climate change to social inequities, what role do you believe cultural institutions like ACCIONA Cultura play in addressing these issues at events like the NEXT IN Summit?
In an era of unprecedented global challenges, cultural companies like ACCIONA Cultura are vital in driving social progress and fostering a more inclusive, resilient, and empathetic society. Culture and storytelling enable people to imagine and make sense of a future, which can be very powerful in shaping how people think and feel toward each other. In all our projects, through interpretation and communication strategies, we want to enable people to imagine a bright and sustainable future. We want to inspire dialogue and solidarity while helping people enjoy themselves and learn new things. Events like NEXT IN help place all of us navigating the cultural industries on the same page while encouraging collaboration. We can’t do it alone!
