The Col·lectiu Ovidi Montllor (COM), which currently brings together more than 200 artists and bands from the Valencian Community, has already distributed 74,450 euros among the 19 artists or bands affected by the dana and who reported damages to the entity.
After the catastrophic dana on October 29, the COM carried out an inventory of damages among the members of the entity, but also opened up to groups and authors who were not part of the collective; and also launched a fundraising campaign to replace the instruments and sound equipment of artists, bands, or music producers affected by the ravine, as indicated by the entity in a statement.
The fundraising campaign remains open, but up to now the COM has already distributed 74,450 euros among the 19 artists or bands that reported damages. In total, the estimated damages caused by the dana among members of the collective exceed 200,000 euros, so «approximately 10% of the musicians belonging to the association were affected by the ravine».
The floods caused damage to all kinds of instruments (including a collection of handmade percussion), microphones and recording studio equipment, live sound equipment, and even a historical library of traditional music (sheet music, manuals, etc.).
The COM has expressed its «infinite gratitude» to the 15 entities and associations that have made contributions to make this campaign «a complete success». It has emphasized that this «wave of solidarity» has been led by the Federació Llull, made up of Acció Cultural del País Valencià, Obra Cultural Balear, and Òmnium Cultural; Decidim, Platform for the Right to Decide; Associació Cultural i Mediambiental El Gorg; Menos que Cero SLU; or Associació Capitanes del Masnou.
Likewise, the Centre Cultural i d’Esbarjo de Sant Pol de Mar; Associació Cultural Imágenes y Palabras; Associació La Guerrilla Comunicación; Associació Cultural per la Tradició Musical, Tradicionàrius; Associació Encoratjades de la Seu d’Urgell; l’Associació Cultural Comboi Cardedeu; Es Reguinyol, Associació de Xeremiers de Muro; Entitat Cultural i Festiva Can Pistraus de Vilanova i Geltrú; and the Colla de Dimonis de Massalfassar have also participated.
It has also highlighted the «decisive» help of more than 150 individuals who also supported Valencian artists and groups with their contributions; as well as the funds raised in the ‘COMcert pels Innocents’.
«A COMPLETE SUCCESS»
The president of COM, Jesús Barranco, has given a «very positive» assessment of the fundraising campaign, as well as the help that has been provided to the affected groups and artists thanks to the solidarity of entities, associations, and individuals.
«We are very satisfied with the response, both from the entities and associations that have raised funds for Valencian musicians, and from the more than 150 people who have contributed to this campaign. It has been a complete success, without a doubt, and it demonstrates that a committed society, as is the case with associations or individual contributions, is essential today,» he emphasized.
He highlighted that they set an «ambitious goal» to cover «a significant portion» of the damages caused by the dana among the music collective. «We have achieved it with over 74,000 euros raised, and this means that many artists and bands, both established and emerging, will be able to continue their artistic careers after this very harsh blow,» he stressed.
