Futures Lab is a new initiative that reveals a new plan at the Quirino Awards that brings together the dominant voices of Ibero-American animation to be unpredictable, but rather possibilities. "We are not here to predict what will happen, but to actively build it," said Silvina Cornillón. "When the industry leads to changes in existence, occupying the lab's ambitions for the past, present and future.

Supported by the Ortega Marañón Foundation, it features spokespersons such as Prisa’s head of innovation and subsidies, Henar León, who outlines the global giants that transform from artificial intelligence and sustainability into political turbulence, market disagreement and consumer behavior, reshaping the audio-visual industry. Leon told the crowded audience: “We live in a period where technology is developing faster than it has experienced in human history.

Lab executive producer and coordinator José Luis Farias reflects the progress made since the launch of the Quirino Awards eight years ago. Although initiatives such as the Ibermedia Next program and the Ibero-American Animation white paper have established collaborations, Farias acknowledges many of the challenges that remain. “We’ve been trying to find specific solutions to solve specific problems, but now we need a more comprehensive global vision,” he said. “We have to use collective intelligence because we’re all together.”

Among the three breakthrough groups, participants sat in the rounds and shared views as they worked to map what the lab called the weight of the past in recognition of handcraft skills, cultural heritage and storytelling traditions; now evolve from leadership to the drive to create a raw IP; future appeal envisions stronger alliances, cross-departmental collaboration, and responsible approaches to AI integration.

Federico Ullolo, the cultural director of the Ortega Marañón Foundation, summarized the discussion that day, outlining the four ideal scenarios that emerged in the lab. The first one was the "official scenario", he realized that "we are not bad" and that the industry is worthy of pride. The second is the “chaotic scene,” warning that nothing can risk stagnation. The third “visionary scenario” imagines a future, and the Ibero-American animation fully realizes its potential to help build society by shaping values, education, and economic growth. Finally, the “alternative” focuses on strengthening alliances based on the unique values ​​of the industry.

“It’s a department that has been adapted and it continues to generate value,” Ulolo emphasized. “We need to understand the value and potential of Ibiro-Americans in social construction.”
It will continue to surpass the Quirino Awards, with upcoming online and in-person workshops leading to a speech to international cultural leaders at the Mondialcult event in Barcelona in September. As Farias said, “We are moving from an initiative of isolation to a collective narrative. This narrative requires us all.”

By integrating these ideas into a common narrative, the hope is to provide policy makers with a clear understanding of how to support and sustain the cultural value offered by a broad and diverse animation industry.