Exhibition: "40 years of democratic city councils"
Culture begins with a "C" for "carrer"
The new democratic times led to an outburst of popular culture and reappropriation of streets and squares. Francesca Masgoret, Presiding District Councillor in Gràcia, aspired to take culture out onto the streets: a goal that symbolised the change of era. Because, in the end, making culture in public spaces meant making the city a more democratic environment. The cultural initiatives launched by the District Municipal Councils reflected the Barcelona that was reclaiming the public space in its own right.
The Gràcia District reaffirmed its truly popular character with its annual festivals (festes majors), the revival of decorated streets, new giants, the new dragon, etc., and all the civic and popular activity that filled the streets (carrers) with culture because ‘culture begins with a “c” for “carrer”’.
Presiding District Councillor, Francesca Masgoret, insisted that urban social movements had reclaimed ‘the streets and the squares as festive places’. In 1981, the Gràcia District Municipal Council invested more than two million pesetas in the best attended festes majors in 30 years.
Carnivals, folk dancing and human towers (castellers) were joined by the new giants and the new dragon, while more streets were decorated for the Festa Major. Even religious festivals such as St Medir, which had continued under political regimes of every hue, took on a new meaning. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1980 with a great turnout, including the new district municipal authorities.
Photograph of the unveiling of the new dragon during the 1982 Festa Major de Gràcia (photograph courtesy of Josep Maria Contel)
Unveiling of Gràcia’s new giants in the summer of 1982 for the Festa Major (photograph courtesy of Josep Maria Contel)
Photograph of the St Medir standard bearers in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia on 3 March 1980 during the 150th anniversary celebration (AMDG, Revista Carrer Gran Collection. Author unknown).
Photograph of the banners of the St Medir festival groups in Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia on 3 March 1980 during the 150th anniversary celebration (AMDG, Revista Carrer Gran Collection. Author unknown).
Decorated entrance to Carrer Verdi de Dalt during the 1981 Festa Major de Gràcia (photograph courtesy of Josep Maria Contel).
Photograph of a decorated Carrer Progrés during the 1980 Festa Major de Gràcia (photograph courtesy of Josep Maria Contel).
