Z365" or "Festival all year round" is the new strategic point of the Festival in which converge investigation, accompaniment and development of new talents (Ikusmira Berriak, Nest); training and cinematic knowledge transfer (Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola, Zinemaldia + Plus, Filmmakers' dialogue); and investigation, disclosure and cinematic thought (Z70 project, Thought and Discussion and Research and publications).
The Culture Observatory at the Fundación Contemporánea has published the results of its analysis of Spain’s cultural panorama. The San Sebastian Festival has been ranked sixth most important cultural initiative at the end of 2016.
The San Sebastian Festival holds sixth place on the list, headed by the Prado Museum, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, San Sebastian European Capital of Culture 2016 – whose presence is highlighted by the authors of the report – the Teatro Real and the Guggenheim Museum. The Festival continues to hold first place among seasonal cultural initiatives with an activity only running at certain times of the year.
The Culture Observatory is an instrument conceived to take the pulse of the sector, analyse trends, promote debate and identify failings and opportunities. Since 2009 it has been running a yearly consultation to find the most outstanding cultural bodies and events of the year. The latest questionnaire saw the participation of 361 experts and professionals from the field of culture: writers, artists, filmmakers, actors, musicians, architects and creators in all fields, foundation heads, directors of museums, cultural centres and institutions, editors, producers, promotors, gallery owners and cultural industry heads; exhibition curators and cultural managers, and the heads of cultural areas and bodies corresponding to the national, autonomous and municipal public administrations.