Josep Canals opposes the closure of the Center d'Art Contemporani Maristany

The director of the Canals gallery in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Josep Canals, has explained that he deeply regrets the "blunder" made by the Sant Cugat del Vallès City Council, chaired by Mayor Josep M. Vallès, since "it has decided to close the the only existing contemporary art center in the city of one hundred thousand inhabitants," Canals pointed out. The renowned gallerist comments that "today Sant Cugat del Vallès is the richest town economically and the poorest in humanism, making the cultural center cease" and adds that "the council will stop renting this space as a saving measure and will stop paying the rent and expenses associated with this center, which amount to more than 100,000 euros a year." Canals believes that it is necessary to ask for more involvement from the country "to this unfortunate fact of the municipal government and I stand with no to the closure of this Center".

For its part, Sant Cugat del Vallès City Council has given its version of events and has confirmed that the Maristany Art Center is being temporarily relocated to other municipal spaces for budgetary reasons. The council has confirmed that the artistic courses and workshops will be held at Casa Aymat at the end of June and, in terms of the exhibition programme, the Council is looking for an alternative space for a period of 6 months. City council funds have sent a statement explaining that "the current economic situation of the City Council makes it difficult to continue paying the rent of 65,800 euros per year for this space, which has an area of 900 square meters spread over three floors. To this budget, you must also add the costs of supplies, maintenance and cleaning, which represent approximately 36,200 euros per year. The total cost, therefore, reaches up to 102,000 euros per year (note: these data refer to the year 2022, since data for 2023 in terms of supplies is not yet closed)".

The councilor for culture, Núria Escamilla, explained that "the City Council maintains its commitment to this contemporary art center, but the deficit situation in the municipal budget forces us to temporarily relocate it. This is what we have communicated at the Visual and Plastic Arts Table of the Culture Council. We are convinced, however, that this project will continue to be strengthened in the future with new cultural spaces that the city wins." It should be remembered that last year the Maristany Art Center received 3,248 general visits, 1,132 school visits and 347 attendees at activities linked to the exhibition. It also hosted 329 participants in artistic courses and workshops.