Athenaeums are non-profit associations that organise cultural, social and sports activities in the premises where their headquarters are located. These premises – community centres, local theatres, etc. – are often heritage buildings in the city that have been historically restored thanks to lobbying by the local community and the demands made by civil society for said properties to be used and enjoyed by the community. Aside from organising activities, athenaeums provide a meeting place where people can enjoy their free-time, debate and work on such values as integration and social cohesion.

Traditionally, few studies have been made on athenaeums and there is little data to shed light on their social impact. With the purpose of understanding the complex reality of these organisations and to record their activities, prevalence and social and economic impact, in 2012 the Federació d’Ateneus de Catalunya (FAC, Federation of Catalan Athenaeums) began to compile an annual report to reveal the reality of this dynamic and powerful group of organisations that is deeply-rooted in Catalonia and that generates a large amount of activity. This report is based on the information provided voluntarily by the athenaeum associations via a questionnaire.

As a result of the partnership between the Observatori de Dades Culturals de Barcelona (Barcelona Cultural Data Observatory) and the FAC, we have been able to include on the website a section for these organisations. Here you’ll find details on the athenaeums in Barcelona that are members of the FAC, as well as some data for 2015 and for 2016 that the Federation has gathered.

Over the coming years, the Observatory hopes to continue to broaden the information and knowledge we have on these organisations and include the work of other centres with similar characteristics that may have been omitted from this initial analysis of the sector.