Retiro Park in Madrid hosts the Cultura Inquieta and Iberdrola España photographic exhibition, a tribute to the solidarity of the volunteers in the cold drop

Madrid's Retiro Park, on Paseo de Fernán Núñez (from Puerta de Madrid to Paseo el Salvador, better known as Paseo de Coches del Retiro) is hosting the outdoor photography exhibition Voluntarios por Amor (Volunteers out of the Goodness of Their Hearts) until 4 May. The exhibition is organised by Iberdrola España and Cultura Inquieta and will display 224 images chosen from among the more than 25,000 submitted to the photography competition. 

The initiative aims to pay tribute to the volunteers, essential service professionals and members of the State Security Forces and Corps who took part in the emergency work following the cold drop that affected Valencia, highlighting their generosity, commitment and collaborative spirit.

The collective and supportive nature of this exhibition is reflected both in its content and in how it came to be. The photographs on display were shared by their 40 artists on social networks with the hashtag #VoluntariosPorAmor, which generated a broad movement of citizen support for the initiative. The images tell stories of teamwork, mutual support and the ability to overcome adversity.

The Voluntarios por amor contest’s participation was massive and distributed €2,400 in prizes among the best-valued works. The ten winning photographs can be seen on the Cultura Inquieta website. The first prize winner received €500, the second prize €300 and the remaining eight runners-up received €200.

The response to the call for entries was overwhelming, both in terms of volume and quality, reflecting the strong social roots of the values that this exhibition aims to highlight. The competition’s jury looked at not only the technical quality of the works, but also the narrative and emotional strength of each one.