Spanish Cooperation Cultural Centres
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Cultural Centre of Spain in Lima
History In 1991, the Peruvian and Spanish Governments agreed to create a cultural centre, similar to others already established in Ibero-America, which would “foster the development of new activities of cultural exchange”, as reflected in the report of the Fifth Meeting of the Standing Committee on HispanicPeruvian Cooperation. This was how the new Cultural Centre of Spain in Lima (CCSL) came to be, even though at the time no site for the Centre had been determined. Nevertheless, in a very short time the Centre inspired a clear purpose of cultural cooperation among artists, agents and institutions. Five years later, on 22 January 1996, the new headquarters were inaugurated in the distinctive 1920s mansion that for many years had accommodated the Spanish Centre of Peru. This institution, which had been a place for the Spanish community in Lima to meet and socialise, was transformed into a new, inclusive public space dedicated to strengthening and expanding the cultural heritage of the two countries, under the framework of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (then, the AECI). In its neo-colonial building, facing a historic park and very close to the old city centre of Lima, the Cultural Centre was situated in a traditional neighbourhood, one of the first residential areas of the city, and readily accessible from all areas, including the newly-emerging periphery. This ideal location made the Centre an important focus of integration among various cultural circuits, which until then had had no nexus of communication. In addition to the advantages of its location, the building is of great architectural interest. It dates from 1927 and was declared a National Heritage Site in 2006. The original construction was designed by Ryszard Jaxa Małachowski (1887-1972), an architect
of Polish origin whose work in Peru is considered emblematic of the early twentieth century. Among other notable buildings, he designed the Government Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace, in the Plaza de Armas in Lima. The main part of the historic mansion, which was remodelled by the Lima Training CollegeWorkshop between 1993 and 1996, has been inhabited and used by the artistic community in Peru for over twenty years and has welcomed many Spanish creators. With only a multi-purpose auditorium with a capacity for 172 people, a library, two exhibition halls and a patio, the Centre has hosted numerous activities expressed in a wide range of artistic languages, managing to overcome the limitations of space, similar to those experienced in a family home, to create an inclusive meeting place, close to the community, always seeking to attract new audiences. The building adjacent to the mansion, with which it originally formed a single unit, is currently under renovation. When this process is complete, it will conclude a global intervention on both buildings which, on the one hand, will overcome the present cramped and transitory status of the Cultural Centre, and on the other, will enhance the historic and artistic value of this unique aspect of Lima’s heritage, restoring part of its historical architecture and creating a versatile environment for the challenges to be addressed in the coming years. Main lines of action The main lines of action undertaken by the CCSL are determined in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2018-2021, which defines the Centre as a place for meeting, for participation and for the management of cultural projects that impact
