Here at the Banco Sabadell Foundation, we see culture as a tool that can be used to make progress in building a society that is fairer, more inclusive, and that has critical faculties. To that end, we ensure that we always work together with institutions that share our vision and offer transformative and inclusive educational programmes which use the arts to foster talent and bring about social change.
To establish synergies between these institutions and find new avenues for transformation, we held a brand new event called Co-CreArte, bringing together representatives and schemes from 12 cultural institutions in a round table, led by Fundación Exit, in which to share experiences and connect with each other on a personal and professional level.
“We all share the same goal: to change people’s lives by working towards social transformation and inclusion using artistic disciplines. At the Banco Sabadell Foundation we believe we have a duty to connect institutions that work with these disciplines, such as the institutions represented here today, in order to find new avenues for collaboration that will allow you to continue to drive forward that transformation,” said Sonia Mulero, Director of the Banco Sabadell Foundation, at the event’s opening ceremony, which was also attended by Miquel Molins, Chair of the Foundation, and Nacho Sequeira, Chief Executive Officer of Fundación Exit.
The heads of the 12 institutions presented their respective projects during the event. Some of their social transformation programmes are listed here below:
– The Coach Project by Fundación Exit is a corporate volunteering initiative aimed at guiding and motivating socially vulnerable young people who have had an unsuccessful academic experience, by offering them coaching and mentoring. The goal of Fundación Exit is to launch a new coaching project that focuses not only on navigating the workplace but also on self-knowledge and emotional wellbeing. With this scheme, Exit seeks to find new ways of working together with other institutions in order to help young people know themselves better and develop tools for change through art.
– BeMusic Festival by the Acción por la Música Foundation featured musical performances by 130 young people from all over Europe; it took place in July at the centre of Madrid, alongside events designed to reflect on music and children’s cultural rights. This institution also runs other projects, including “Haz que suene” (‘Make it Sound’), which offers musical training in public primary schools, and “Fuerza Musical” (‘Musical Power’), aimed at young people with special educational needs. Attendee: María Guerrero, President and Founder of the Acción por la Música Foundation
– Escuela Dentro Cine by Madrid Destino is an art education project that seeks to give socially disadvantaged young people a chance to learn about cinematography, not only offering them practical training and teaching them film language, but also providing them with tools for dialogue, self-examination, expression, empowerment and knowledge. Attendee: Pedro Sara, Director of Madrid Destino’s Escuela Dentro Cine.
– The Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Programme of the Reina Sofia School of Music aims to help students develop skills that go beyond those required to play music, while at the same time making them aware of the role that they play as artists within society. Attendee: Marjorie Netange, Director of Development and Communication at Fundación Albéniz
– Teatro para Abrazar by the Fundación Teatro Joven, in partnership with the Psychiatry Service of the 12 de Octubre Hospital in Madrid, aims to use theatre as a way of supporting teenagers with mental disorders and/or who have attempted suicide or self-harm, giving them all of the tools offered by this art form so that they may learn better ways of expressing their feelings and emotions and to help them in their recovery process. Attendee: David R. Peralto, President of the Fundación Teatro Joven
– A Tempo – Arts and Training by the La Ciutat Invisible Foundation aims to forge links between the arts and education in the cities of Girona and Salt in order to build a community with critical faculties and ensure access to culture. To that end, the project includes training sessions aimed at both professionals and young people within and outside educational establishments. In 2022 the project also took place in Seville, and will do so again in 2023. Attendee: Marta Montalbán, Manager of Bitò Produccions (sponsor of the La Ciutat Invisible Foundation)
– Revista de Occidente by Fundación José Ortega y Gasset-Gregorio Marañón (FOM) is a monthly cultural magazine that contains the latest news and developments in the worlds of thought and reason, science, visual arts, literature, cinematography and audiovisual creation. It is widely distributed in academic circles across Spain and Latin America. Attendee: Federico Buyolo, Director of Cultural Innovation at the Fundación José Ortega y Gasset – Gregorio Marañón
– La Movida by Kubbo and Talento para el Futuro is a scheme designed to empower young artists to transform their education. Kubbo also offers the Vibras and The Visible Movement programmes, which use urban culture as a tool for transformation. Attendee: Kike Labián, Chief Executive Officer of Kubbo
– Horagai by La Selva Ecosistema Creatiu is a project that uses film as a creative space through which young people under guardianship can engage in social reflection and express their concerns and desires. Film is a means of expression that they can use to stop having their story told by others and start telling it themselves, creating their own content. Attendee: Jana Montllor, Partner and Founder of La Selva Ecosistema Creatiu
– Xamfrà by Fundació L’ARC is a meeting space for anyone wishing to take part in ongoing and collaborative artistic experiences. Located in the Raval neighbourhood, since 2004 it has been mobilising people, acting as a driving force and weaving networks to promote communal cultural and artistic development. Attendees: Ester Bonal, Director of l’Arc Taller de Música Fundació Privada, and Cristina Gámiz, Drama Teacher
– The Teatre Lliure educational programme aims to build a stronger theatre culture at every stage of development of children, teenagers and adults. It takes place on the stages of this institution and also in educational centres, and the hope is that in the future it will form an integral part of education systems. Attendees: Alicia Gorina, Educational Programme Director, and Violeta Sugranyes, Project Coordinator, both members of Teatre Lliure
– U4Impact by TFCoop is a platform that puts university students in touch with companies, entrepreneurs and foundations to help them complete their final year projects with a social or environmental impact on the existing needs of companies and entrepreneurs. This collaboration gives students an opportunity to build and develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking, while helping companies to become more sustainable and promote innovation within their organisations. Attendee: Manuel Docavo, President of TFCoop
After this event, Fundación Exit will work with institutions to search for and develop avenues for collaboration, with the aim of applying these to the work that they do through their projects. The goal: to offer more guidance to those they work with and to promote their self-knowledge and emotional wellbeing, using the arts as a tool for inclusion and social transformation. We will keep you posted with the latest news!
