Malaga and Sevilla are the third and sixth cities in Spain, respectively, with the best quality and innovation of cultural scene in the whole country. And Andalucia is the fourth autonomous community with the best cultural programming in the entire national territory. These are some of the conclusions that emerge from the data of the Cultural Observatory of the Contemporary Foundation (Observatorio Cultural de la Fundación Contemporánea), an x-ray of the sector that analyzes the cultural offer throughout Spain.
The large panel of professionals and experts participating in this national consultation has assessed the quality and innovation of the cultural offer of the communities, based on their programming in 2021. Madrid, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Andalucia and the Valencian Community, in that order, they once again occupy the first five places as communities with the best cultural programming.
Regarding the evolution of the cultural offer, the city of Malaga is the one that has registered in the last eight years a greater upward projection of the total of the 52 capitals of Spain, consolidating its presence in prominent positions at a national level.
The Malaga Film Festival has entered the top ten in the category of most valued cultural institutions at a national level, occupying tenth place on a list of 70. It was also the best valued event in Andalucia by culture experts. The Picasso Museum, meanwhile, has been ranked 27th in the national ranking. This museum has also received the Andalusian Cultural Badge, a recognition from the professionals of an autonomous community for the most outstanding proposal in its region.
Malaga consolidates its leadership in Andalucía
In the specific ranking by region of the best of the cultural year in each autonomous community, the Andalusian panelists have pointed out up to ten institutions and cultural events as the most outstanding of the year 2021. The opinion of professionals from public and private cultural entities in Andalucia has placed the Picasso Museum in first place, followed by the Malaga Film Festival, the Pompidou Centre, the Russian Museum and the Carmen Thyssen Museum. The Museum of Fine Arts of Sevilla and the Alhambra return to the ranking in prominent positions.
The best of culture in the rural environment
The Observatory has asked for the first time about the best cultural projects developed in rural areas. Among the most outstanding in all of Spain is the Genalguacil Pueblo Museum, the only one in Andalucia in this category.
Exemplary cases: sustainable culture
This macro survey has included sustainability among its categories. In this way, it highlights "exemplary" cultural organizations and projects throughout Spain in terms of their commitment and contribution to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. Among the ten that make up the ranking there is an Andalusian project: the Art for Change Málaga. Animal House for the 2030 Agenda. This is a unique exhibition in which one hundred artists from Malaga take part who are concerned about the effects that human activity causes on the planet through climate change.
Filmin leads the ranking this year, followed by the Prado Museum (which stands out for its virtual tours and social networks), Fundación Telefónica, the Teatro Real (for My Opera Player), the Fundación Juan March, the Círculo de Bellas Artes (for Dialogues for critical innovation) and CaixaForum.
Note: You can download the full report at this link: https://www.lafabrica.com/wp-images/Observatorio-de-la-Cultura-2021_Descargar-informe.pdf
When assessing Spanish cities for the quality and innovation of their cultural offer in 2021, Madrid repeats at the top followed by Barcelona. In third place there is a tie between Malaga and Valencia, both surpassing Bilbao this year, in fifth place. Completing the top ten positions are Seville, San Sebastián, Santander, Valladolid (up one place) and Cáceres, which stands out, rising 14 places compared to 2019.
Since 2009, the Observatory of Culture has been preparing a series of rankings and fixed indicators related to the cultural activity of the different autonomous communities and cities, to the most outstanding cultural institutions and events of the year or to the annual evolution of the budgets of the organizations in the sector .
To carry out this consultation, a questionnaire is sent to a panel of experts made up of more than a thousand top-level professionals from our culture: writers, artists, directors and actors, musicians, architects and creators from all fields; heads of foundations, directors of museums, theaters, cultural centers and institutions; editors, producers, promoters, gallery owners and managers of cultural industries; exhibition curators, festival directors, cultural managers and professionals in the sector, as well as heads of cultural areas and institutions of the central, regional and municipal public administration.
