LIBRO CERCLE

31 TheCircle andBarcelona T hroughout its history theBarcelonaRoyal ArtisticCirclehasbeen able to relate to its city in very varied ways, opening constant means of collaborating, all of them leading to the dissemination and better comprehensionof thedynamics of thecontemporary art world. Its marked eclecticism has always allowed it to bring together very different styles and ideology, something quite remarkable for amulti- disciplinary institution involved in such as wide selection of activities beyond art. Literature, in the form of literary talks or presentations; the cinema club; theatre arts andmusic are just a display of the non- stop cultural dissemination that theRCAB has beenworking on since its origins, thanks to the commendable work of both itsmanagement team and each of its members. The latter are all true patrons of the institution’s cultural and social engines. Always open to theBarcelona public, theRCABhas resonatedwithall the international artistic trends and currents, becoming sensitively and diplomatically involved in all kind of cultural manifestations related to humanities or science, given that its vocationhasalwaysbeen to take root in the livesof thepeople that are part of the city, forming as many connections as needed to carry out itsmain labour as a platform for developing and promoting arts andhumanities. This, inaddition to its complete integrationwithin Barcelona social dynamics. It was precisely this lively, outward-look- ing character that to a certain extent caused its split in 1892, when amore Puritanical group of members decided to set up the Circle of Sant Lluc, considering that the RCAB should not have more playful activities suchas galaballs, chess or boardgame competitions. Via shows, conferences, round tables, concerts, events, prizes, the- atre performances, cinema sessions or exhibitions throughout the years the presence of theArtisticCircle has been constant within the city’s social andcultural life, and someof its initiativeshavebeen very significant. Just to cite a few initiatives, for example, the competition Barcelona seen by its artists , organised in 1931, thanks to which the urbancornersand landscapesof thecityhadanawakeningaspoints of interest for its inhabitants; the BarcelonaArt Exhibition held in1918 and the nudes exhibition in 1933 –quite an achievement given the Puritanical society of the time–. Always attempting to never stick to or represent any particular trend or ideology throughout its 135-year history, the institution has been able to be faithful to its founding cri- teria and aims. To a great extent its history is an important part of the history of the city and its inhabitants. From its beginnings itsmain ob- jective is to riseupas acultural and social reference. In fact, both the