There are projects that are born as a necessity and end up becoming a refuge. The Pati Blau, promoted by the entity Espluga Viva, is one of these cases: a literary discussion group that, with the passage of time, has transcended the format to become a living, recognized and essential space for literature written by women in Catalan in Esplugues.
More than a decade ago, when its promoters, Carme Porta and Laura Sanagustín, imagined this project, they did so with a clear intuition: it was necessary to put the authors at the center. Not as an exception, but as a norm. Since then, Pati Blau has been weaving a loyal community around reading, conversation, and proximity to the writers.
Because the Pati Blau is not a conventional book club. The sessions, scheduled for the last Thursday of the month, combine a prior introduction with direct conversation with the author and an open discussion with the public. The format is flexible and adapts to each meeting, which facilitates a close and participatory atmosphere. The proposal has been expanding with new initiatives. For example, literary pairings with local wines have been incorporated, in collaboration with the gastronomic space El Tast, as well as open-air poetic shows during the summer months or proposals linked to literary April.
Over the years, the project has consolidated a stable attendance, with well over twenty people per session. There are days of greater attendance, names that attract an audience, and genres that draw more than others. In this regard, the organization also points to a recurring pattern: male presence is minority and only increases when the invited author has great media recognition. A fact they point to as a symptom of a broader imbalance in cultural habits. All in all, beyond the figures, what defines Pati Blau is constancy: the ability to sustain, for twelve years, a cultural space with its own identity.
And this March, Pati Blau once again demonstrates its capacity to connect literature and reality. Next Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m., the discussion group will host journalist Cristina Mas Andreu, from Diari Ara, who will present her book Palestine from Within. A work that delves into the Palestinian conflict from the ground, with a journalistic perspective and a will to understand it from within, far from headlines and simplifications.
