The Barcelona City Council presented this Monday an extraordinary allocation of 2.5 million euros for the rehabilitation of ateneus, private theaters, and facilities linked to popular culture. The result of an agreement with the ERC municipal group, the initiative aims to recognize the key role of these spaces “in the city’s cultural fabric.”
The contribution is divided into 1.3 million euros for the rehabilitation of ateneus, 850,000 euros for the renovation of theaters, and 300,000 euros for popular culture. The Councilor for Culture and Creative Industries of Barcelona, Xavier Marcé, detailed that in the case of ateneus, the aid should contribute to these spaces having a “greater involvement in the city’s cultural activity.” The councilor also explained that ateneus have “shortcomings and difficulties” in carrying out their activity, in many cases, due to infrastructure problems that “allow for adequate conditions to carry out cultural activities.”
According to explanations from the Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB), the extraordinary allocation recognizes the “valuable work” of ateneus, for almost two centuries, “as first-rate cultural agents for Catalan society.” These cultural entities, around 400 throughout the country, 27 in Barcelona city and 36 in the Barcelona region, currently maintain a foundational vitality to facilitate citizens’ access to culture. With the contribution of 1.3 million euros for investments planned for this year, which Barcelona ateneus will be able to execute between 2026 and 2027, the aim is to support investments not covered by ordinary subsidies.
In parallel, the Barcelona councilor stated that theaters are a “highly dynamic sector,” but one that is “very subject to regulatory pressure,” which also happens with ateneus, where public regulations often oblige them to accessibility conditions and the availability of certain types of services that “imply significant investments.”
In the case of theaters, the Barcelona City Council has for decades joined the rehabilitation subsidies promoted by the Generalitat, through the Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises. The annual contribution of 250,000 euros will be increased this year by 850,000 euros, with a global sum of 1.1 million euros. In this case, the subsidy will be for private theaters that apply for it.
Finally, the extraordinary allocation for investments in equipment linked to popular culture will earmark 300,000 euros to improve the architecture of these spaces.
The Councillor for Culture and Creative Industries of Barcelona, Xavier Marcé, has presented the new allocation. Photo: ACN / Guillem Roset
For his part, the spokesperson for the ERC municipal group in Barcelona, Jordi Castellana, recalled that the extraordinary contribution was a proposal by the republicans that they incorporated into the 2026 budget negotiation. In this regard, Castellana has vindicated the "task of guaranteeing the right of access and participation in culture carried out by ateneus and theaters."
"They are basic institutions, which create networks between neighbors, which is what builds our neighborhoods day by day. They also have a clear vocation for public service and develop an essential social and community function for the cohesion of neighborhoods," stated the ERC member.
