Foment Martinenc

Foment Martinenc is a non-profit community and cultural association based in the Sant Martí de Provençals district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Founded in 1877 as an Ateneu Popular (popular athenaeum) to promote education among workers, it is one of the oldest civic entities in the city. Over its long history it has developed a wide range of sporting, cultural and leisure activities, including sections dedicated to women, hiking, chess, and the Esbart Sant Jordi dance group, as well as the Abraxas Theatre company. The organisation was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi in 1995 and the Medalla d'Honor de Barcelona in 2012. It was briefly closed after the Spanish Civil War and has since carried out constant work in promoting Catalan culture. Today it remains an active community hub, offering courses, film screenings, and social events, with a membership that is 55% women.

Foment Martinenc was founded in 1877 in Sant Martí de Provençals (then an independent municipality, now part of Barcelona) as an Ateneu Popular, a popular athenaeum aimed at fostering education among the working class. Its first board included president Francesc Elias, secretary Josep Comas, and members Domingo Serra, Isidre Burunat, Jaume Gay, Joan Bertran and Josep Huguet. From its early years, the entity promoted cultural and recreational activities for the local community. After the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), it was closed for a period, but it later resumed its activities and continued to promote Catalan culture. In 1931, during the Second Spanish Republic, the association took the progressive step of encouraging women's participation in associational life, although full rights for women came later. In 1948, the chess section (Unió Escaquista del Foment Martinenc) was created, which became one of the oldest sections and achieved notable sporting success, including team championships in Catalonia and Spain. In 1961, the Section for the Cultural Promotion of Women was established. In 1978, the theatre section Abraxas Teatre was founded, which has performed the traditional Pastorets every Christmas since. The entity received the Creu de Sant Jordi in 1995 and the Medalla d'Honor de Barcelona in 2012. Today, Foment Martinenc remains a vibrant community centre offering a wide range of courses, film screenings, and cultural events, with a membership that is 55% women.

• 2012

  Awarded the Medalla d'Honor de Barcelona.

• 1995

  Awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi.

• 1978

  Abraxas Teatre founded as the theatre section.

• 1961

  Section for the Cultural Promotion of Women established.

• 1948

  Chess section (Unió Escaquista del Foment Martinenc) created on 14 October.

• 1931

  During the Second Spanish Republic, the association promoted women's participation in associational life.

• 1877

  Founded in Sant Martí de Provençals as an Ateneu Popular to promote education among workers.

A historic, community-oriented non-profit cultural and leisure association rooted in Catalan popular education and local identity.

• Community courses

  Offers courses in belly dance, ballroom dance, country, Kanda yoga, meditation, chair gymnastics, Zumba, English, and painting.

• Cicle Gaudí film screenings

  Hosts film screenings, such as 'Tres Adioses' and 'Estrany Riu', in its accessible hall.

• Abraxas Teatre

  Theatre section founded in 1978, performing the traditional Pastorets every Christmas and organizing the Concurs de Teatre del Foment Martinenc.

• Unió Escaquista del Foment Martinenc

  Chess section created in 1948, with nearly 100 federated players and a history of competition success.

• Esbart Sant Jordi

  Traditional Catalan dance group.

• Secció de la Dona

  Women's section, one of the most active in the entity.

• Penya Blaugrana

  FC Barcelona supporters' club.

1. 1Foment Martinenc official websitefomentmartinenc.org
2. 2Més informació sobre la política de cookiesfomentmartinenc.org
3. 3Foment Martinenc - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Foment Martinenc - Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org