Aintzane Arribas’ ‘Herritik Hirira’ chosen as the image of Santo Tomás 2026

At BBK, we’ve chosen the image that will represent this year’s Santo Tomás Fair. ‘Herritik Hirira’, by Aintzane Arribas, is the winning design of our first poster competition, which we launched to invite the public to help shape the image of one of Bizkaia’s most cherished celebrations.

The 27-year-old illustrator and animator from Bilbao wanted to capture, in a simple and direct way, the tradition of bringing local produce from rural communities into the city, one of the defining features of Santo Tomás. Her winning design will receive a €2,000 prize.

Encouraged by her family and her lifelong passion for drawing, Arribas decided to enter the competition. She graduated in Fine Arts, Digital Art and Animation from DigiPen Bilbao, in Zorrozaurre, in 2021 and has since worked as a 3D animator on various projects, while continuing to enjoy drawing in her free time.

This was only her second time entering a poster competition, making the recognition particularly exciting for her.

Celebrating local produce and the primary sector

With this first competition, we wanted to open up the creative process behind the Santo Tomás Fair’s image to the public, encouraging everyone to take part in a celebration that is deeply rooted in our identity.

Because Santo Tomás is much more than a fair. It’s an opportunity to recognise the importance of the primary sector, celebrate local produce and acknowledge the people whose work keeps Bizkaia’s rural communities thriving.

At BBK, we’ve been supporting the primary sector for almost five decades. Through initiatives like this, we continue to strengthen our commitment to a sector that plays a vital role in our region.

Discover the finalist posters at Sala BBK

The winning design was selected from six finalists by an 11-member jury representing a range of organisations and sectors connected to Bilbao.

The jury included representatives from Bilbao City Council, the primary sector, Metro Bilbao, Sala BBK, BBK Klima, the media, the BBK Board of Trustees, Athletic Club and Bilbao Basket.

You can discover all six finalist posters in the lobby of Sala BBK until 13 November, where we’re showcasing the shortlisted designs and sharing different creative interpretations of one of Bizkaia’s most beloved traditions.