Spanish Cooperation Cultural Centres
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Cultural Centre of Spain in San José
The Cultural Centre of Spain in Costa Rica (CCSCR) was inaugurated in 1992. Its stated goal was to strengthen and promote the culture of Costa Rica, Central America and Spain, and to support the contributions of all parties involved in this sector. The CCSCR is a member of the AECID Network of Cultural Centres, which facilitates the circulation of cultural knowledge and practices throughout IberoAmerica. During its 25-year history, the Centre has evolved through different phases, but at all times has firmly advocated human and cultural rights, viewing this concern as the fundamental basis for its strategic lines of action, projects and activities. Today, the CCSCR is committed to the 2030 Agenda and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of its main aims is to foster inclusion and solidarity and to create alliances with vulnerable populations, enabling them to benefit from this cultural connection. The CCSCR has three physical spaces: the historic one, known as “El Farolito”, is an inclusive space which, in collaboration with likeminded organisations, supports the cultural sector and attracts large, critical audiences, devising collaborative activities and projects intended to produce a positive impact on development in Costa Rica. The second space, Plaza Skawak, was inaugurated in 2017, and from its inception has encouraged public participation, expressing this aim in its architectural layout and even in its name (Skawak means “owners of our space” in the Bribri-Cabécar language). The name was chosen after consulting with neighbours and indigenous communities through their community organisations. Among other connotations, Skawak means ownership, the idiosyncrasy of an indigenous people and its world view, which has been endangered
for centuries. The design of this Plaza and the underlying concept differ from those of the Centre’s other public spaces; this hybrid, mutable space forms a bridge between the public and the private, where different institutions and groups can coexist; a space for spontaneous interaction and collective encounters; a space for the intuitive, pleasurable, direct interpretation of its potential, untrammelled by convention. In this space, we may expect the unexpected. The Centre’s fundamental goal, to be open to all, has led it to re-imagine and re-direct its work, to function in a different way in this new space, to create a structured basis for creation within its commitment to inclusion and equality. In the outdoor area provided by Plaza Skawak, art and culture are incorporated into the daily life of the city, there is a space for the community and for public participation, where everybody can share, exchange, propose and cooperate with everyone else in building up cultural and social connections. The Centre’s third physical place, Casa Caníbal, is one for experimentation, where the emphasis is placed on freedom of thought and creation. Here, the outcome sought is not so much that of obtaining results; instead, it lies in the experience itself. For example, the Artistic Residencies Programme takes place within Casa Caníbal, focusing on coexistence, creation and exchange, in activities open to international, regional and local creators and researchers. Casa Caníbal expands the offer of residencies and workplaces in the city of San José, supplying economic resources, tools and institutional support, and thus forms part of the city’s infrastructure made available to local artists. These three spaces are all intended to foster participation by a critical public, and focus on enhancing community empowerment, on being present in public issues and on opening up new
