The Mercat de les Flors - Movement Arts Centre in Barcelona is a public consortium between Barcelona City Council and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (the Generalitat), with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, that has become a leading centre for the investigation, production, creation and dissemination of dance and the movement arts. A space for artistic creation, with structures implicated in coproduction A platform for the staging of presentations and exhibitions: theatre and festivals A centre dedicated to education: courses, classes, workshops professional get-togethers and audience development sessions A space for reflection, theory and investigation, to foster discourse and content on the movement arts
1929 – As part of Barcelona’s International Exposition, the Palau de l’Agricultura (Agricultural Pavilion) is built in Montjuïc for the presentation of new developments in the sector. Subsequently, when Mercabarna — the city’s wholesale produce market — moved to the old Exhibition buildings, the former Agricultural Pavilion was used as the Flower Market (MERCAT DE LA FLOR). The building then became a municipal warehouse and workshop when Mercabarna moved to Zona Franca.
2 HISTORY
1983 – Peter Brook premieres The Tragedy of Carmen in the municipal workshops located in the old Flower Market. “We finally have a municipal theatre!”, Pascual Maragall. 1985 – Maria Aurèlia Capmany offers Joan Maria Gual the artistic directorship of the theatre, which now becomes the Mercat de les Flors. 15 October 1985 – The official opening of the theatre with Mahabarata, again by Peter Brook. 1985 – 1987 – Major international productions pass through the Mercat. 1986 – Miquel Barceló paints the Mercat’s cupola. 1987 – Andreu Morte takes over from Joan Maria Gaul as the theatre’s artistic director. The Mercat gets enmeshed in the dynamic euphoria, modernity, design, creativity and the avant-garde that invades the city. It becomes an international landmark. 1991 – Elena Posa replaces Andreu Morte as artistic director. The Mercat continues to be seen as a landmark on the international stage and the place where the country’s companies enjoy the greatest freedom with their stagings. 1995 – Joan Maria Gual returns as the theatre’s director. Major budgetary difficulties, both in terms of programming and investment. 1995 – 2005 – Barcelona experiences an explosion of alternative venues. These are years when the professional theatre sector begins to grow in Barcelona and audiences are offered greater choice, with more options and alternatives. 1996 – Inauguration of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. 2001 – Inauguration of the Teatre Lliure in the Palau de l’Agricultura. 2003 – Andreu Morte returns as director with the task of returning the Mercat to its initial position. He focuses on an alternative programme that will distance the Mercat from the TNC and the Teatre Lliure and their large-scale productions. 2005 – Andreu Morte leaves the directorship of the Mercat at a moment when Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat initiate talks on relaunching the theatre as a new space for dance. The Spanish Ministry of Culture confirms its interest in participating and converting the new centre into a landmark for contemporary dance in Spain. Various projects are studies and eventually that of Francesc Casadesús is chosen, who is appointed the centre’s new director. 2007 – The Mercat de les Flors Consortium – Movement Arts Centre, made up of Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat, is constituted.
auditoria
3
•
MAC auditorium (Mª Aurèlia Campmany) 440 seats
•
OM auditorium (Ovidi Montllor) 320 seats
•
SG auditorium (Sebastià Gasch) 80 seats
•
auditorium C (under construction) for rehearsals and small-format shows
SPACES
Dance Documentation Centre •
a place for consultation and research
•
3,000 audiovisual references on dance in Catalonia
•
the Mercat de les Flors archives
bar-restaurant
comprehensive refurbishment project • 2009-2011 • technological modernisation • new auditoria and public spaces
4
• eager consumers of culture • mostly women
AUDIENCES
• mid to upper sociocultural levels • loyal audiences • metropolitan
Enthusiasts
Typology:
Accidental
Gender:
Tickets:
Invitation
Box office
Come as:
Women
30 % Couple
28% Family
28% Couple
37,4 % Group
46% Group
40% Group
53% Public
44% Private
Ages:
Transport:
45% Private
Men
Occasional
5 FIGURES 2008-09
6 EDUCATION, RESEARCH
7 2009-10 SEASON
MEMORY, THIS DIALOGUE WITH THE PRESENT... This season we have sought to delve into some of the stories that dance tries to tell, into various approaches where the testimony of a first creator moves on to that of another, as well as introducing young companies that are bursting with new energy. We invite you to discover the hints of this shared memory in the rich universe of dance today.
8 MEDIA CAMPAIGN
annual programme: 70,000 units
2 four-monthly programmes / season : 200,000 units
4 special cycles / season: 40,000 units
publicity in mainstream and specialist media
hand programmes (2,000 units / show) shop posters (4,000 units / show) flyers (5,000 units / show)
4 campaigns with pennants and advertising panels / season
9 ONLINE MEDIA
web / 16,000 visits during the 08-09 season / an average of 516 visits a day
new blog
fortnightly newsletter / 9,471 subscribers
facebook / 976 friends, fans, admirers
10 PRIVILEGES OF COLLABORATION
OPTIONS agreement signed in public public recognition in the foyer of the Mercat de les Flors presence in public relations events VIP pass to the Mercat invitation to official season presentations invitations to premiers and the Village to meet visiting companies and artists invitations and discounts for promotional events participation on the Mercat’s Board of Advisors delivery of publications association with media campaigns prominent mention in the Mercat’s website use of the Mercat’s facilities to organise private events product placement in public areas and events possibility of establishing tailor-made privileges
11 CATEGORIES OF COLLABORATION
PATRON
leading sector companies and institutions who wish to make a clear commitment to actively associating themselves with the activities of the Mercat de les Flors contribution: €40,000 annually / 4 years
PROTECTOR
companies and institutions who wish to be associated with the Mercat de les Flors as part of their corporate and media strategies contribution: €20,000 annually / 3 years
COLLABORATOR
companies and institutions who wish to cooperate with the development of activities for the Mercat de les Flors and its day-today running contribution: €12,000 annually / 2 years
BENEFACTOR
private individuals who love dance, the movement arts and the arts and culture in general, who feel emotionally linked to the reputation of the Mercat de les Flors and are keen to get involved in its day-to-day running contribution: between €1,500 and €12,000 annually / 3 years
SPONSOR
companies and institutions who wish to support shows, activities and specific cycles organised by the Mercat de les Flors contribution: between €6,000 and €15,000, depending on offered support