ARCHIVED - Benidorm will host festival to find 2022 Eurovision Song contest entry for Spain

The three show event will be broadcast live from the Costa Blanca resort in the Marina Baixa, Alicante province.

Benidorm will host a new festival to select Spain's entry for next year's Eurovision Song contest in a "huge musical event" which will be staged on the beach.

National public broadcaster, RTVE has signed an agreement with the Valencian region's president, Ximo Puig and Benidorm mayor, Toni Perez, in what is hoped could be a long term association with the Eurovision competition.

"Benidorm is the best place to catapult voices, music and songs", said Perez at a grand agreement signing event in the resort's Paseo Tamarindos on Thursday, where Murcia's Ruth Lorenzo performed her 10th place entry in the 2014 Eurovision, Dancing in the Rain.

Generally, Spain's record at the Eurovision isn't great, finishing in the bottom six since 2015, while this year's entry, performed by Blas Canto, failed to get a single public vote.

So all parties involved are pushing for "talented, established and young up-and-coming artists looking for an opportunity to make their voices known" in the "open" selection process, which will consist of two semi finals and a grand final with a "festival" format.

"Eurovision is one of the most important events for European radio and television, able to connect with a young audience, and is leading the way in showcasing great talent," according to RTVE's Amalia Martinez, who added that the candidate selection will be "as open as possible" to the country's "singers and bands".

The event is likely to take place in January, with separate selection phases for known and unknown artists, "to give more opportunity to new talent".

IMAGE: GVA/Ayuntamiento de Benidorm