The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, has met in Barcelona with the Minister of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Natàlia Garriga, to show her “his commitment to Catalonia, its language and its cultural potential”, according to a note released by the Ministry . Urtasun has promised Garriga that the Government will help “improve strategic cultural facilities in Catalonia as a whole” and that it will participate in the promotion of Catalan and Catalan culture “as part of the cultural wealth of a diverse Spain.”
Both agreements have resulted in several specific lines of work. The first is the expansion of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) with the aim of turning it into an international reference by 2029, the year in which the centenary of the 1929 Universal Exhibition will be celebrated.
The second agreement will lead to the construction of the new State Public Library in Tarragona, a state-owned infrastructure whose management will be transferred to the Generalitat of Catalonia. The minister hopes that during 2024 the Ministry of Culture will call the competition for the architectural project, once its final location has been decided. And, in order to promote the Catalan language and culture, the third agreement consists of consolidating the contribution that began, via amendment, to the Ramón Llull Institute by the Ministry of Culture in 2023, in the amount of 100,000 euros. As Urtasun explained, “one of the hallmarks of this Ministry will be the promotion of Catalan culture and language within our borders, but also internationally.”
In this sense, he has assured that the Ministry of Culture and the Government of Spain will take “decisive steps towards the objective that all of Spain’s cultural wealth is treated on an equal footing.” And he has indicated that “work has already begun on this path, for example, inviting writers and editors of all official languages to the Guadalajara International Book Fair in 2024”, in which Spain will be the Guest Country of Honor. .
The fourth agreement between the Government and the Generalitat is to create a joint working group aimed at protecting and promoting creation in Catalan. “In the field of literature, cinema, theater or any artistic manifestation, the Ministry of Culture wants to commit to the protection of what for us is one of the most valuable cultural treasures of the State, the linguistic and cultural diversity of Spain “.
In addition, the minister has confirmed the commitment to carry out the new museum project of the Tarragona Archaeological Museum, for three million euros, throughout 2024. He has also mentioned the possibility of supporting initiatives such as Catalunya Media City, with the in order to promote the audiovisual industry in Catalonia and Spain, in which the Government of Spain has already made a first financial contribution and in which, according to Urtasun, “we will continue to be involved.”