Welcome to Our Ninots Page

Every year, as Fallas approaches, Valencia begins to fill with colour, creativity, character and much of that magic starts right here, with the ninots.

This page is dedicated to showcasing the individual figures that form the heart and soul of the Fallas monuments, celebrating their artistry, humour and emotion as they make their way to the Ninot Exhibition and, eventually, into Fallas history.

A ninot is one single figure or scene that forms part of a larger Fallas monument.
It is not the entire monument itself.

This is one of the most common misunderstandings for visitors, the huge sculptures you see in the streets are called fallas or monuments.
The ninots are the individual characters, people, animals or mini-scenes that bring those monuments to life.

Think of it like this:

• The monument is the whole story.
   
• The ninots are the characters inside that story.
   

Each ninot is carefully designed and crafted by Fallas artists, often taking months of work. Some are humorous, some satirical, some deeply emotional — and every single one reflects the creativity and cultural voice of Valencia.

Why Ninots Matter 

Before the monuments are installed in the streets, each Fallas commission selects one ninot (and one children’s ninot) to represent them in the Ninot Exhibition. These figures stand alone, giving visitors the chance to admire the craftsmanship up close and even vote to save their favourites from the flames.

On this page, we’ll be sharing revealed ninots, standout designs, artistic trends and those special pieces that capture the public’s imagination each year.

Because while the monuments may burn…the ninots are where the personality of Fallas truly lives.

Every February the opening of the Ninot Exhibition is a special time as Valencia enters one of the most magical and quietly emotional moments of the Fallas calendar. Before the noise, before the flames, before La Cremà… comes the chance to save a piece of art forever.

This is the story of the Ninots Indultats - the Pardoned Ninots, and why every single visitor who casts a vote plays a part in Fallas history.

A Ninot Indultat is a figure that has been officially pardoned from the fire. While almost every monument created for Fallas will burn on the night of 19 March, two figures escape their fate each year:

• One Main Ninot
• One Infantil Ninot

These are chosen entirely by public vote during the Ninot Exhibition. The winners are preserved and transferred to the Museu Faller, where they remain permanently as part of Valencia’s living cultural archive.

In essence, the public becomes the curator of Fallas history.

The tradition of pardoning ninots dates back to the 1930s, when citizens first expressed the desire to save particularly meaningful or beautifully crafted figures. Over time this evolved into the formal voting system we know today.

What makes this tradition powerful is that it captures:

🎨 Artistic evolution
👨‍👩‍👧 Social values of each era
😂 Humour and satire
❤️ Emotion and nostalgia

Walking through the Museu Faller is like walking through decades of Valencian society, changing fashions, political commentary, family life, technology, and artistic techniques are all preserved in papier-mâché and paint.

Every visitor to the exhibition receives the opportunity to vote for two ninots, and those votes truly count.

This isn’t symbolic.
This isn’t decorative.
It is decisive.

The difference between burning and immortality can come down to just a handful of ballots. Your vote determines:

• Which artistic styles endure
• Which social messages are remembered
• Which artists gain historical recognition

Without public participation, the tradition loses its democratic heart. Fallas is, above all, a festival of the people, and the Ninot Indultat is one of the purest expressions of that spirit.

While satire, politics and fantasy still play major roles, a particular artistic style has steadily grown in popularity over the last two decades, often proving to be a winning formula.

These ninots tend to depict:

🏠 Warm domestic interiors
☕ Cafés and everyday life
👫 Couples in tender moments
🐶 Pets and animals
👨‍👩‍👧 Family unity and affection

They are gentle, nostalgic and emotionally resonant rather than loud or controversial. 

Visitors frequently connect with them on a personal level, which naturally translates into votes.

VLCFFF have traced the modern popularity of this style back to 2007, when artist Paco López Albert created the winning ninot for Falla Convent de Jerusalem – Matemático Marzal titled “Homenatge de Sorolla” - “Homage to Sorolla.” 

The piece evoked the warmth, light and intimate humanity associated with the famous Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla, blending fine-art sensibility with Fallas craftsmanship. 

Since then, emotionally driven, beautifully lit and “slice-of-life” scenes have increasingly resonated with the public.

It marked a shift from purely comedic or political satire toward emotional storytelling in sculpture.

 The Pardoned Ninots are not simply pretty figures saved from flames. They are:

• Historical documents in 3D
• Snapshots of societal change
• Records of artistic technique
• Emotional time capsules

Each year’s winners tell us what Valencia valued at that moment, humour, tenderness, critique, beauty, or nostalgia.

Visiting the Ninot Exhibition is not just about looking, it is about participating. Families debate, friends compare favourites, children gravitate toward colour and animals, adults lean toward artistry or message.

And when you drop your "ballot into the box", you are quite literally deciding which creation will live on for generations.

It is one of the few moments in Fallas where the festival pauses and listens to the public.

So, the next time you admire those tiny figures surrounding the towering falla monuments, remember, each ninot carries its own story, its own history, and one may even earn the honour of living forever in the Museo Fallero here in Valencia.