This year, the Association of Friends of Art and Culture of Ibiza (AAACI) is presenting the 2026 La Llave de Ibiza Awards to the renowned fashion designer, Charo Ruiz, and entertainment entrepreneur Martín Ferrer, and is giving a special mention to the island’s iconic figure, Tanit. The seventh edition of these awards will take place on September 4 at 8:30 p.m. at Club Diario. The jury has recognized these three individuals for their contributions to raising international awareness of the creativity and innovation of Ibizan fashion, the importance of dance music over the past 50 years at the Amnesia nightclub, and the hippie movement represented by the figure of Tanit.
The AAACI was founded nearly a decade ago with the goal of promoting and raising awareness of the art, culture, architecture, music, and the artists residing on the island beyond its natural borders, while at the same time fostering a deeper understanding of these various forms and highlighting the rich creative output that has emanated from the island for centuries.
Its founders—journalist and writer Juan Suárez, Italian painter Mario Arlati, and philanthropist Francés Llopis—organized their first event in the magnificent exhibition hall of the Ses Salines salt warehouse, right in the heart of the natural park, which was later transformed into a cutting-edge space—unparalleled for contemporary art—by international gallery owner Lio Malca. To this end, the “La Llave de Ibiza” award was created, featuring a sculpture designed by Italian artist Mario Arlati, made of Corten steel and juniper wood, which has evolved over the years in terms of size, format, and color, making it a prestigious and original work of art.
Mario Arlati received the first Key to Ibiza on a monumental stage during a major exhibition by American artist Keith Haring at La Nave in Ses Salines. He was followed by Ricardo Urgell, founder of the Pacha Group, in 2021 at Club Diario; music producer and president of Live Nation Spain, Pino Sagliocco; and Elena Ruiz, director of the Ibiza Museum of Contemporary Art, in 2022. Adlib designer and fashion creator Dora Herbst and the famous German painter based in Ibiza, Erwin Bechtold, received the award in 2023. Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola, who lives on the island, and architectural designer Rolf Blakstad were the honorees in 2024. New York gallery owner and founder of the La Nave de ses Salines exhibition space, Lio Malca, and the famous actress and Ibiza resident, Àngela Molina, were the recipients in 2025.
The 2026 awards ceremony for the Association of Friends of Art of Ibiza and Formentera will be held at the Club Diario de Ibiza, featuring a ceremony followed by a cocktail reception on September 4 at 8:30 p.m., and will be open to the general public.