c/ Roger de Flor 224
08025 Barcelona Barcelona
Spain
- International/Cultural relations
As the globally active cultural institution of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goethe-Institut advocates for understanding between Germany, Europe and the world. The framework agreement with the German Federal Foreign Office is the foundation for this work. Worldwide, the Goethe-Institut provides information about the cultural and societal diversity of Germany and Europe. 158 Goethe-Institutes in 98 countries together with numerous partner institutions form the basis of its global network. It generates around a third of its revenue itself through income from language courses and examinations. It also receives support from the European Union (EU), further German federal ministries as well as foundations and companies.
In Spain, the Goethe-Institut has two representations in Barcelona and Madrid with a total of around 90 employees. Both Goethe-Instituts in Spain have a broad network of local and international partners in the fields of culture and education. They are also members of the European National Institutes for Culture Clusters in Spain (EUNIC).
We believe in the potential of international cultural exchange. Our cultural events take place in partnership with governmental and non-governmental institutions and initiatives from civil society in our guest countries. We qualify, advise and interlink cultural professionals and support the development of sustainable structures in the cultural and creative economy by advanced training measures for cultural entrepreneurs or the internationalization of creative companies. We offer stakeholders from civil society a protected space and scope for a sincere exchange of views.
Via our digital information and educational programs we offer a space to learn, meet up and participate. We use innovative technologies, seize the opportunities of digitalization and, at the same time, reflect on their implications for people and society. Through diverse formats such as information trips for multipliers, specialist exchange between experts, youth exchange programs and international festivals we enable communication on a worldwide basis.
The Goethe-Instituts in Spain have a special focus on cultural dialogue in the Mediterranean region and plan projects with cultural professionals, multipliers from education and culture and young target groups. As lead partner of an international consortium, the Goethe-Institut has proposed a 30 month-project called “The Oceans speak” for the EU programme "Horizon Europe: Ocean & Water and Arts". In collaboration with the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona and partner organisations in Tunisia, the Goethe-Institut Barcelona will coordinate the Western Mediterranean hub of the project and bring together and dynamize stakeholders from science, art, culture and civil society on the topic of "The beach as a membrane between the city and the sea". The Goethe-Institut Madrid has put a focus on working with young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, integrating artistic perspectives from different cultural backgrounds. In 2023, we have invited artists from the Arab world to exchange with local communities about the representation of the other in Spanish cultural institutions.
With their project work on the Mediterranean cultural area, the Goethe-Instituts in Spain primarily support dialogue in the western Mediterranean region and exchange between north and south. The connection to Germany, to experts in various fields and committees is an added value that the Goethe-Institut Spain is pleased to bring to the joint project work with the ALF.
The Goethe-Instituts in Spain would like to become part of the ALF in order to develop Mediterranean projects in the cultural and educational sector together with potential partners from the network. The Goethe-Institut Barcelona in particular is developing a Mediterranean profile that will characterise the work of the Goethe-Institut in Barcelona in the future. The Goethe-Institut Madrid would like to further deepen its ties to cultural operators and artists as well as educational institutions in the Mediterranean reagion in order to connect local communities to their counterparts. In this context, the ALF (and IEMed) is one of the most important partners.