Barcelona City Council has approved an extraordinary €2.5 million package for the rehabilitation of ateneus, theatres and other venues linked to popular culture across the city. The agreement was reached with the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) group.
The funding is divided into three parts, €1.35 million for ateneus, €850,000 for theatres, and €300,000 for popular culture venues. The council said the money is meant to support key cultural spaces that need larger investment work.
Ateneus, which have operated for nearly two centuries, are described by the council as important cultural agents in Catalan society. Around 400 exist across Catalonia, including 36 in the Barcelona area, and they help provide access to culture, support the Catalan language, and strengthen social cohesion and integration.
The €1.35 million for ateneus is intended for larger projects that ordinary subsidies may not cover. The council said the funds can be used between 2026 and 2027. For more on council coverage, see News.
For theatres, Barcelona City Council, through the Institute of Culture, has for decades added to rehabilitation subsidies from the Generalitat de Catalunya's Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises. This year's extraordinary contribution of €850,000 will lift the total annual amount to €1.1 million.
An additional €300,000 will go towards improving the architecture of venues linked to popular culture. The council said the agreement is part of its wider commitment to maintaining Barcelona's cultural infrastructure, with more context available from the Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat de Catalunya Department of Culture.