An ultimate guide to Las Fallas 2026 figures

An exhibition with mini versions of the sculptures from Valencia’s most iconic city festival, Las Fallas, has opened at the Valencia Science Museum. La Cotorra visited the exhibition to find out which issues are on the agenda for the Valencians this year.

The Las Fallas festival has always served as a mirror of social and political issues in Valencia, Spain, Europe, and sometimes the entire world. Last year, the festival’s figures unanimously praised the volunteers who saved suburban areas from the devastating DANA floods. This year, artists turned their attention to housing problems, corruption, and even domestic violence. The sculptures are unapologetic. Fallas holds nothing back, using blunt imagery and vivid colours to portray everything that concerns Valencians.

Trump

Never before have there been so many figures of Donald Trump at Las Fallas. In March, at least four effigies of the politician will be burned — and not a single one could be described as flattering. In one sculpture, Trump is portrayed as Dr. Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs, with Ursula von der Leyen cast as Clarice Starling.

Another sculpture depicts Trump holding a bomb and threatening Europe. Artists also considered the American politician’s love of awards. One sculpture shows him clutching medals beneath a sign that reads: “Costume Contest. First Prize for the Longest Penis.”

The King and Local Politicians

Harsh satire about the royal family and politicians has become one of the central themes of Las Fallas 2026. Mass protests calling for the resignation of regional leaders over the consequences of the DANA floods have already led to the resignation of Carlos Mazón, head of the Valencian government. But criticism hasn’t spared his successor, Juanfran Pérez Llorca, either. One sculpture depicts him looking into a mirror — and seeing Carlos Mazón staring back. Protesters have repeatedly stated that they oppose his appointment and see him as a continuation of Mazón’s policies.

The problems of national and local politics recur throughout this year’s sculptures. A voodoo doll with a photo of Pedro Sánchez pierced with pins, a figure of the king sitting on a toilet, and other works demonstrate that Valencians are deeply critical and very serious about politics.

War

In previous years, Las Fallas often addressed international politics, with dictators and warlords burned in city squares. By 2026, however, this theme appears to be less popular. It is still presented in some works, but mostly through the lens of children suffering from armed conflict. Several sculptures take a pacifist stance and express support for Gaza. Stolen childhood in the context of war is another major theme this year.

For the first time in a while, there are no figures of Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping. Instead, a new topic has emerged: a call to stop the incitement of hatred between people and nations.
 

Housing

Record-breaking housing prices are another recurring theme at Las Fallas 2026. Cramped and overpriced apartments, rising rent, unaffordable mortgages, and the sheer lack of money for housing — all of these issues are reflected in the festival’s sculptures.

Problems Within the Fallas Community

This year, many figures also address internal problems within the fallas associations and the festival itself. One sculpture, for example, depicts a poor artist creating an extremely expensive figure.

Valencians were equally merciless in satirising the selection process for the Fallera Mayor Infantil: one figure shows a young girl futilely waiting for a call from the mayor.

The enormous workload placed on the winners is also reflected in satire: one fallera stands with a suitcase, unable to decide which of dozens of events she is supposed to attend.

Among the most striking works, La Cotorra highlights a sculpture dedicated to violence against women. A man holding a machete stares at a giant iPhone displaying a photo of a beautiful couple, while at his feet lies the dismembered body of a woman. Cases in which women are killed by their partners are not uncommon. Although the sculpture’s graphic realism is shocking, the issue at stake is sadly familiar — the fight against domestic violence is a major topic in Spain nowadays.

The exhibition runs from February 7 to March 15, 2026. Tickets and opening hours are available via the link.