Within the framework of the Barcelona’s cultural and scientific capital status subsidies, the Ministry of Culture and Sport has financed the activities and extension works of the Barcelona Design Hub spaces during 2021

Within the framework of the Barcelona’s cultural and scientific capital status subsidies, the Ministry of Culture and Sport has financed the activities and extension works of the Barcelona Design Hub spaces during 2021

Within the framework of the Royal Decree approved last November, which regulates investment grants for the joint cultural and scientific capital status of Barcelona, a grant was approved for Barcelona City Council to finance the extension works of the Barcelona Design Hub exhibition area, as well as activities related to the creative, visual and cultural industries organised by the Barcelona Design Hub in 2021 and preparatory activities for the said industries carried out throughout 2021.

In this regard, during 2021, the Ministry of Culture and Sport financed the works to reclaim the fourth floor of the Barcelona Design Hub’s building as a permanent exhibition floor to be used as a foyer linked to the auditorium for the Hub’s own events or rented out for external events. Similarly, it funded the conversion of the secondary hall, on the ground floor of the premises, currently used for temporary exhibitions, into a welcome exhibition area, displaying designs, as well as the extension of the male and female bathroom facilities located on the floor leading to Carrer Àvila.

Moreover, the activities (or the preparation of these activities) related to the creative, visual and cultural industries organised or participated in by the Barcelona Design Museum / Design Hub during 2021 were also financed, including the exhibitions: ‘Balenciaga. The Elegance of the Hat’, ‘Common objects’, ‘Touch wood! Design, wood and sustainability’, ‘Women Jewellers’, ‘Banksy. The Art of Protest’, ‘The Best Design of the Year’; as well as the activities ‘Design for inclusion’, the FLIC Festival, the Blanc Festival, the Offf Festival, the Barcelona Design Week Festival and the reACT event.

The purpose of the joint cultural and scientific capital status of Barcelona project is to encourage cultural and scientific activities at certain public and private entities to make the joint capital status of the city along with Madrid a reality.

The State has allocated a total of 20 million euros to the initiative, obtained from the General State Budget Law for 2022, which have been distributed through direct investment grants to 37 different entities. From the total amount, 17.5 million euros have been allocated to fund the main cultural institutions located in Barcelona. Of this total, 770,000 euros have been awarded to Barcelona City Council to carry out the extension works at the Barcelona Design Hub, and the Barcelona Cultural Institute has been allocated 800,000 euros to carry out and prepare the aforementioned activities at the Barcelona Design Hub. The works valued at 770,000 euros form part of the grants awarded to entities for the cultural and scientific capital status corresponding to 2021.