On occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, abertis foundation, the Catalan Regional Government’s Department of Culture and MACBA Foundation have organised a Seminar entitled Cultural Sponsorship and Patronage: Visions and Innovation in Castellet castle (Barcelona), the abertis foundation headquarters.

The seminar was inaugurated by the Catalan Regional Government’s Culture Minister, Ferran Mascarell, the director general of Cultural Policies and Industries at the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, María Teresa Lizaranzu, the chairman of MACBA Foundation, Leopoldo Rodés, and the chairman of abertis, Salvador Alemany.

The Catalan Regional Government’s Culture Minister, Ferran Mascarell, demanded “greater conviction of the economic role of culture”, maintaining that “a more learned society also has more cohesion and strength”. He mentioned that, in Catalonia, there are close to 250,000 people working in the cultural field, with around 38,000 companies associated to the sector.

In his speech, Ferran Mascarell emphasised that “we have to strengthen the mixed cooperation model” in cultural matters, combining public and private participation, which “has long been a tradition in Catalonia”. In the present economic context, “public-private alliances will play an essential role in the future”, he added.

The director general of Cultural Policies and Industries at the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, María Teresa Lizaranzu, said that her Ministry is working on a Patronage Act which “aims to change the approach to cooperation with private enterprises”. According to the director general, “the idea is to go from a conventional model based on public grants to a model with more private participation, from both businesses and the public”.

Leopoldo Rodés, chairman of MACBA Foundation, underlined the importance of patronage, saying that “despite the current context in which we are living, culture cannot be left on one side”. He also called for a change of model, with more direct involvement of civil society in financing cultural institutions and activities.

Finally, the chairman of abertis, Salvador Alemany, highlighted that the commitment of companies is necessary, as is “focusing on specific sponsorship projects” integrated in company strategy. Salvador Alemany emphasised that the Group fosters the preservation of our historic heritage and culture, particularly in the regions where the company operates.

The importance of the cultural sector

In a context where there is a growing demand for financing for environmental and social projects, the seminar aims to show current trends in business patronage and sponsorship in the cultural field.
According to recent figures published by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, the cultural sector in Spain represents nearly 4% of the GDP and 2.8% of all jobs.

Moreover, the Spanish Cultural Habit and Practises Survey, edited by the Secretariat of State for Culture and presented in September 2011, shows that annual visits to exhibitions, monuments, archaeological sites, archives and museums have increased in the last few years.

The report also shows that, despite a slight reduction in theatre, opera and classical music concert attendance figures, there has been a considerable increase in reading and library use.