In July 2025, I won a flamenco guitar competition in Sevilla and was awarded a one year scholarship to study in Spain.

While tuition is covered, living expenses are not. I am currently raising funds to support my move, training, and daily life as I fully immerse myself in the culture of flamenco.

This journey represents years of dedication; not only to my craft, but to honoring the lineage of this art form and expanding representation within it.

If you feel called to support, I am deeply grateful. Every contribution directly helps make this next chapter possible.

How it all began:

In July of 2025, I traveled back to Spain for the first time in ten years—to the day. I had applied to a flamenco guitar competition in Sevilla, unsure whether I would even be selected for the final round. After weeks of nervously checking my email each morning, I finally received the message:

“Nos complace informarle que ha sido seleccionada para la final del Concurso Talento Flamenco de Guitarra de Acompañamiento 2025.”

The day after playing a sold-out, self produced, solo concert in Brooklyn, I boarded a plane to Madrid and took the AVE down to Sevilla. I arrived with one full day to rest and prepare. On the morning of the competition, I woke feeling centered and ready to play on a Sevillian stage for the first time as a Mexican American woman.

That exact day carried special meaning: it marked ten years since I first stepped foot in Spain, and my former teacher, whom I hadn’t seen since then, came to watch me compete. He met with me as I warmed up, offered last-minute advice, and helped calm my nerves. His presence was grounding and deeply moving.

When the competitors drew numbers, I picked number one. I opened the competition. Once on stage, I stayed present and focused, smiling in little moments, reminding myself to enjoy this. I played the best I could, aware of small things I could improve, but proud of the performance as a whole.

As I waited for the judges’ decisions alongside the other competitors, most of whom had grown up immersed in flamenco, I felt calm and grounded in whatever the outcome would be. I listened as winners were called in other categories. Then I heard:

“La primera beca, correspondiente a la categoría de solista, es para… Caroline Espinoza.”

I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and pride. I had performed, competed, AND won in Sevilla before respected flamenco guitarists serving as judges, representing not only myself, but women, Chicanas, my family, and a broader diaspora that is still underrepresented in this field. I was honored to receive a one year scholarship to study at the Fundación Cristina Heeren.

The scholarship covers tuition, but it does not include living expenses. This is where I’m asking for your support.

How the funds will be used:

Your support will allow me to sustainably continue my flamenco studies and professional work in Spain by covering:

• Living expenses: housing, utilities, and food

• Training and mentorship: private lessons, workshops, and ongoing study with master teachers

• Local and regional travel: transportation for classes, rehearsals, performances, and study opportunities

• Artistic collaboration: working with singers, dancers, and participating in performances and cultural spaces

• Guitar care and essentials: maintenance, strings, and necessary equipment

• Documentation and promotion: photo/video to support concerts and future opportunities

• Administrative costs: applications, fees, and essential professional expenses

This support will allow me to focus fully on disciplined study, artistic growth, and meaningful collaboration while continuing to develop a sustainable professional presence within the flamenco tradition.

Thank you for your time, presence, attention, kindness and contribution.

With Love and Gratitude,

Caro