LIBRO CERCLE

60 TheCircle and patronage T heRoyalArtisticCircle is theoldest institution inBarcelona thathas beenandstill isapatronof culture ingeneral andart inparticular. Its135 yearsof historyarewithout adoubt itsgreatest guarantee. The sum of its cash income –generated by membership, donations and theearnings from thePignatelli Palace–and itsnon-monetary income: art donations, collections, volunteers, consultancy, etc.) - frommany of the institution’smembers and followers has helped theRCAB have the patronage necessary to meet its objectives. The promotion and spreading of art and culture has been and is evident in the Circle’s everyday business. You only have to come on any day and enjoy the events programmed. The work of investigating, documenting, teaching and providing ar- tistic practice is an permanent effort. The Circle is the deacon of the patrons thanks to a modern formula known as ‘crowdfunding’. The patronage that many of its ‘non-user’ member has contributed has beenoneof themost activeworkings of the institution. Thanks to their disinterested contributions, many others have been able to benefit fromdoing art in theworkshops, from consulting and enjoying the ar- chives and library, from ongoing promotion thanks to national and in- ternational exhibition aswell as from the fabulous artistic atmosphere impregnating theRCAB. The distinction and reputation attained by belonging to the group of people or institutions that are patrons of artistic, literary or research projects is clear when youbecome amember of theBarcelonaRoyal Artistic Circle, in itself a patron of any events organised for art and culture. The current situation is therefore similar to that of thepast, but adapt- ed to themodern terms of this kindof institutebypublishing the strat- egies andmanagement transparency demanded of any not-for-profit cultural association, like the Circle. The need for financial help –both the small contributions of themembers and the larger ones from big patrons or sponsors– is unquestionableandessential tomaintainand broaden the projects leading to excellence in art and the dissemina- tion of human knowledge. In the end, society is the greatest benefi- ciary. A society more sensitive to the intangible and therefore more human.