The L'Avenç Cultural Centre is a century-old institution that is part of the identity of Esplugues de Llobregat. Founded in 1906 in an old farmhouse that would eventually become the Cultural Centre, it was born with a clear vocation for progress: to energize local culture, promote the arts, and bring social life to a transforming municipality. Drawing, music, theatre, cooking, and popular activities coexisted with the promotion of emerging sports such as skating and football, introduced to the city thanks to the entity.
Throughout the first third of the 20th century, it consolidated an intense theatrical and cultural activity. The Lenten performances, with a different play each week, and Àngel Guimerà's attendance at one of the shows contributed to reinforcing the local prestige of the theatrical group. In parallel, the la Caixa d’Estalvis de L’Avenç became a pioneering initiative, with services such as the Secció de Quintes and low-interest loans for farmers.
L’Avenç experienced a key moment in 1922 with the donation of the land by Pau Pujol, which allowed for the construction of its building, provisionally inaugurated in 1924. The arrival of cinema, the activities of the Grup Excursionista Germanor, or the revival of the choir under the direction of teachers like Joan Tomás expanded the entity's cultural reach until the thirties, when the Civil War interrupted all activities and the premises were occupied.
The dam of 1939 was slow and complex, with a change of name and the need to rebuild both activity and social trust. Nevertheless, during the following decades, the Centro Cultural maintained its central role in community life, until 1969 when a fire destroyed the main hall. Collective effort made partial reconstruction possible and the inauguration of the new hall in 1971, with an art exhibition by Angelina Alós, Xavier Corberó, and Eulàlia Fàbregas.
