Paco Peña: The Cordoba guitarist who brought the art of flamenco to the UK

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From London’s first flamenco club to the world’s first Professor of Flamenco Guitar, the maestro has spent 60 years as an ambassador for Andalusian culture

Tony Bryant

Friday, 6 February 2026, 15:48

Throughout history there have been many reasons why Andalusians have left their homeland, whether temporarily or permanently, to search for new horizons and opportunities. In all parts of the world, Andalusians have become ambassadors for the virtues of their homeland, raising the universal flag of Andalucía with pride.

One of these is Francisco Peña Pérez, the flamenco guitarist better known as Paco Peña. Born in Cordoba in 1942, Peña played a major role in popularising flamenco outside Spain, particularly in the UK, where he chose to live in the late 1960s.

Growing up among a family of musicians immersed in traditional Andalusian flamenco, he began playing guitar at the age of six. He showed extraordinary talent from an early age and aspired to become one of flamenco's most respected guitarists, as well as becoming the world's first Professor of Flamenco Guitar.

His relocation to London was part of a larger wave of Spanish artists taking flamenco to global stages, seeking broader opportunities and to introduce flamenco to international audiences. Peña sparked such enthusiasm among a British public previously unfamiliar with flamenco that he soon found himself sharing stages with artists like Jimi Hendrix and John Williams.

Considered among the most influential guitarists of his era, Peña has had a significant artistic presence in the UK, especially in London, where he founded the Spanish Guitar Centre. He established this centre in the 1980s to teach flamenco guitar, solidifying his influence in Britain by helping educate a new generation of flamenco enthusiasts.

Known for his technical mastery and emotional depth, he helped elevate flamenco guitar from a regional art form to an international concert tradition. Through performance, recordings and teaching, his efforts helped make flamenco more accessible to global audiences while preserving its authentic roots.

His esteem within the London flamenco community is highlighted by the fact that he holds the position of Honorary President of the Peña Flamenca de Londres (London's first flamenco club).

Paco Peña is celebrated for expanding flamenco's reach through concert performances in more than 50 countries.