Quirino Awards Announces Dates for Inaugural Quirino Lab in Tenerife (EXCLUSIVE)

In a newly-unveiled partnership between the Quirino Awards and the Tenerife Council through Tenerife Tourism and the Tenerife Film Commission, the Ibero-American animation industry will hold its first specialised workshop in Tenerife this November.

The Quirino Lab will take place over Nov. 19-22 and aim to professionalize and strengthen the Ibero-American animation industry at a key moment in its development.

The Quirino Awards, the prestigious trans-Atlantic ceremony recognizing excellence in Ibero-American animation, developed the new initiative in response to “the urgent need to reinforce the Ibero-American animation industry and prepare its professionals for global changes in the sector.” The team behind the initiative also highlighted how the Quirino Lab “marks a new stage in the professionalisation of regional animation, offering specialised training to prepare Ibero-American producers for global challenges and setting a new standard for the sector.”

The announcement of the new initiative also emphasized how animation has become “an economic and cultural driving force,” which requires something more and more scarce in the industry: time and space to reflect on business strategies and next steps within the industry. 

While the initiative was first unveiled during the Quirino Awards Gala last month, the enterprise can now reveal further details about its fabric, including the Lab dates in November and July 1 as the opening of calls for applications, closing on July 24. 

The specialized program will feature 20 producers from across Ibero-America and will be specially designed to “forge lasting connections that transcend borders and markets.” The four-day initiative will feature cutting-edge training with specialized workshops ranging from new market trends, audiences, exploitation models, to the impact of Artificial Intelligence in production processes and at a global level, including financial development, IP development, and innovative organizational methodologies. Plus, of course, the opportunity for strategic networking with not only Tenerife-based companies but also global industry leaders. 

The call is open to emerging and established Ibero-American animation talents. Candidates must be executive producers with experience in the sector and must have produced at least one animated series, one animated feature film, or two animated short films. Other production professionals may be considered, but the priority remains executive producers. Another key requirement is for professionals who can “demonstrate active commitment to the development of the animation industry in their country and in the Ibero-American region.”

Qualifying countries include: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

The Quirino Lab marks the latest effort by the Quirino Awards to advance industry development. The initiative joins the Ibero-American Animation Space Futures Lab, a recently launched initiative in collaboration with the Ortega Marañón Foundation to drive the future of animation in the region.

Established in 2018, the Quirino Awards are primarily sponsored by the Tenerife Council through Tenerife Tourism, which emphasizes its commitment to promoting animation as a cultural and economic force in the region. 

Quirino Lab key dates:

●      July 1, 2025: Open call for applications;

●      July 24 2025: Deadline for applications (23:59 CET);

●      Nov. 19-22 2025: First edition of the Quirino Lab in Tenerife.