The Conservatory at the Liceu hosted the third edition of the Més Cultura event yesterday, organised by the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona). The theme for this year was “Funding for cultural projects”. Specialists from both the public and private sectors talked about the funding options they offer for cultural projects and start-ups. At the end of the event representatives of successful businesses and cultural projects were given the floor.
The first round table, on public funding, consisted of Edgar García, director of the Area of Business Development in the Catalan Institute of Cultural Businesses (ICEC); Anna Salvatella, director of Credit Investment in the Catalan Institute for Finance (ICF); Àlex Navarro, head of Oficina Europa Creativa Desk-MEDIA Catalunya; Berta Sureda, general coordinator of the Fabra and Coats Factory and Art Centre in the Institute for Culture of Barcelona (ICUB). The session was moderated by Cristina Calvet, a lawyer at the Association of Professional Actors and Directors, AADPC, and a professor for the University Master’s degree in Cultural Management.
Around the table there was a discussion of the different funding proposals offered by the invited institutions. Edgar García described the business development service in the Catalan Generalitat “which guides and helps not only companies and workers but also professionals from the world of culture”. On the other hand, Anna Salvatella presented the different lines offered by the ICF, and Àlex Navarro talked about the proposals that arise in Europe. Specifically she explained that in relation to cultural proposals, the Oficina Europa Creativa Desk-MEDIA Catalunya supports projects that promote cooperation, platforms, networks and literary translation. Finally, Berta Sureda Fabra and Coats Factory and Art Centre, a centre that supports the entire process involved in creating a work of art.
The second round table on funding in the private sector involved talks from Gemma Sendra, director of Fundació Catalunya; Sònia Mulero, director of Fundació Banc de Sabadell; Jonàs Sala, co-founder of Verkami; Juan Mezo, managing director of Valors & Màrqueting and David Gómez, head of Marketing and Communication at Business Angels Network Catalunya (BANC). Marta Crispí, Director of the University Master’s degree in Cultural Management, moderated this session.
The round table began with a question: “What criteria do you use when evaluating projects?” Gemma Sendra talked about the Impulsa project, which will be presented for a business audit after the project has matured for six months. On the other hand, Sònia Mulero described the criteria that the Fundació Banco Sabadell uses when evaluating. Mulero underlines the fact that the project that is presented must be in the public interest and make sense within the foundation’s current annual plan of action. They also study the impact it can have on their brand. Mulero recommends that a project should not only depend on a foundation, and said “we believe that good projects should be able to have more than one sponsor”.
