To the Cultural Centre of the Avenida de Europa are added the cultural spaces of the Casa del Fester “Diego Cano” (Carrer la Biga) and the Social Centre “José Llorca Llinares” (Calle Goya-Colonia Madrid), as well as the Town Hall’s assembly hall and the Culture Lecture Hall of the Caja del Mediterráneo (Alameda, 17) and the Social Centre “La Torreta” (Av. Ciudad Real) all with permanent exhibitions and conference series.

Benidorm also has municipal libraries. The central one is in front of the New City Hall (Plaza de los Reyes de España) with branches at Rincón de Loix and Foietes. The Youth Information Centre, next to the New City Hall, is the noisy epicentre of the most varied youth activities; from courses and employment to spare time and adventure.

The Ciudad Patricia courses in Benidorm, the seminars programmed by the Elda, Pinoso and Guardamar del Segura universities and the courses for foreign students at Alicante University are high-profile occasions affording an opportunity to participate in debates on topics of current cultural interest. In the world of cinema, the L’Alfàs del Pi and Elche Film Festivals, specialising in shorts, and the Orihuela Encuentros de cine e historia are three events warranting special mention.

Drama tends to focus on the regular theatre-season programme at Alicante’s Teatro Principal and the annual Review of Contemporary Theatre, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture.

Music occupies a special place in the form of the Benidorm Song Festival, specialising in pop, the Torrevieja Habanera and Choral Music Contest and the Alicante Festival of Contemporary Music. Music, polyphony and theatre join forces in the unique spectacle that is the Misteri d’Elx, Mediterranean culture’s oldest known sung dramatic work. It is staged in Elche’s Church of Santa María every August and, on exceptional occasions, in November as well. The Azorín Prize for novels and the Enric Valor Prize for texts in Valencian are the highlights in the literary calendar.