Fundació Ars

Fundació Ars is a private cultural foundation based in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain. Its stated purpose is to create and disseminate culture, understood broadly as the whole of human intellectual activity, with a particular focus on ideas, arts and letters and on building networks that enable cooperation between people. The organisation traces its origins to 1978, when it was founded as Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell; it was renamed Fundació Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell in 1987 and took its current name, Fundació Ars, in 1998. The foundation's best-known activity is the bimonthly magazine Quadern de les idees, les arts i les lletres, founded in 1978 by Joan Cuscó i Aymamí under the title Quadern. Over the decades the magazine evolved from a local Sabadell cultural review into a broader publication carrying general articles on ideas, arts and letters alongside specific work on Sabadell and the Vallès region and research on the recovery of historical memory produced by CILEC (Centre d'Investigació de la Literatura Europea Concentracionària). It was admitted to the Dialnet database in 2009 and reached its 200th issue in June 2015. Beyond publishing, Fundació Ars operates an editorial imprint with several collections, including Biblioteca Quadern, Imatge i Paraula, Grafia, Persones and Quaderns del CILEC. Its catalogue includes works on the Holocaust and Catalan memory, such as David Serrano i Blanquer's L'hora blanca and the collaborative Dictionnaire Critique de la littérature européenne des camps de concentration et d'extermination nazis. The foundation also runs a visual-arts group that promotes research and exhibitions, and a Europe group that encourages cultural collaboration between European regions. In 1999 the foundation received the Fàbregas-Moix legacy from the sculptor Camil Fàbregas, comprising his house and studio, a substantial part of his collection of sculptures and paintings, and a collection of works by Manolo Hugué and other Catalan artists. This legacy was used to launch a project for a house of culture in central Sabadell. Fundació Ars has also awarded the Premis Quadern to individuals and entities distinguished in the plastic arts, letters or music, and in 2002 it absorbed the Fundació Tabal, a private foundation created in 1995 to promote philosophy and music. The foundation remains active, presenting a renewed virtual space on its official website.

Fundació Ars began in 1978 as Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell, an association founded in Sabadell with the aim of promoting culture in the broad sense of ideas, arts and letters. In the same year, Joan Cuscó i Aymamí founded the magazine Quadern, which would become the foundation's flagship publication. From issue 27 (summer 1982) to issue 57 (summer 1987) the magazine appeared as Quadern de les arts i de les lletres de Sabadell, reflecting its local focus on cultural activities in Sabadell. In 1987 the organisation was renamed Fundació Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell, marking its transition from an association to a foundation. Through the 1980s and 1990s the magazine remained a local review edited and directed by its founder. Joan Cuscó directed it from issue 1 (1978) to issue 112 (1997). From issue 113 (1997) to issue 118 (1998) it was co-directed by Ana Fernández Álvarez and David Serrano i Blanquer. In 1998 the foundation adopted its current name, Fundació Ars, and the magazine passed to being edited by Manuel Costa Fernández. From issue 119 (1999) to issue 179 (2011) David Serrano directed the magazine; he later resigned together with eight section heads in disagreement with the editor. A major turning point came in 1999, when the foundation received the Fàbregas-Moix legacy from the sculptor Camil Fàbregas. The legacy consisted of Fàbregas's house and studio, a large part of his collection of sculptures and paintings, and a collection of works by Manolo Hugué and other Catalan artists. The foundation used this legacy to begin a project for a house of culture in the centre of Sabadell. In 2002, by initiative of Manuel Costa Fernández and with the support of the whole board, the Fundació Tabal — a private foundation created in Sabadell in 1995 to promote philosophy and music — was absorbed by Fundació Ars in order to strengthen the fulfilment of both entities' objectives. In the 2000s the foundation's editorial activity expanded. Its imprint developed collections including Biblioteca Quadern, Imatge i Paraula, Grafia, Persones and Quaderns del CILEC. Notable titles include David Serrano i Blanquer's L'hora blanca. L'Holocaust i Joaquim Amat-Piniella (Biblioteca Quadern, 43, 2004), which won the Antoni Esteve essay prize of Òmnium Cultural and the Research Prize of the Institució de les Lletres Catalanes; Morir a Euskadi. 1938-1940. Catalans a Gernika-Lumo (Els papers del Cilec, 1, 2006); and the Dictionnaire Critique de la littérature européenne des camps de concentration et d'extermination nazis (2007), the result of two years' work directed by David Serrano, director of CILEC, with the collaboration of the Bibliothèque de Documentation Internationale Contemporaine (BDIC, Paris) and the KZ – Memoria scripta working group of the University of Salzburg. The magazine was admitted to Dialnet in 2009, and in June 2015 it presented its 200th issue. The foundation has continued to structure its work through several groups: the magazine Quadern de les idees, les arts i les lletres, published bimonthly; the editorial; the Grup d'Arts Plàstiques, which encourages research work and exhibitions; and the Grup Europa, which promotes cultural collaboration between European regions and joint projects. It has awarded the Premis Quadern to people or entities distinguished in the plastic arts, letters or music. Its official website now presents a new virtual space, listing areas including Arts Visuals, Editorial, Capital Natural, La casa Fàbregas Moix, Lletres and Quadern de les Idees.

• 2015

  The magazine presents its 200th issue in June.

• 2011

  David Serrano ends his direction of the magazine at issue 179, resigning with eight section heads.

• 2009

  Quadern is admitted to Dialnet.

• 2007

  Publishes the Dictionnaire Critique de la littérature européenne des camps de concentration et d'extermination nazis.

• 2006

  Publishes Morir a Euskadi. 1938-1940. Catalans a Gernika-Lumo (Els papers del Cilec, 1).

• 2004

  Publishes David Serrano i Blanquer's L'hora blanca. L'Holocaust i Joaquim Amat-Piniella (Biblioteca Quadern, 43).

• 2002

  Absorbs Fundació Tabal, a private foundation for philosophy and music founded in Sabadell in 1995.

• 1999

  Receives the Fàbregas-Moix legacy from sculptor Camil Fàbregas, used to start a house of culture project in central Sabadell.

• 1998

  Foundation adopts the name Fundació Ars; Manuel Costa Fernández becomes editor of the magazine.

• 1997

  Joan Cuscó ends his direction of the magazine at issue 112; Ana Fernández Álvarez and David Serrano i Blanquer become co-directors.

• 1987

  Renamed Fundació Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell.

• 1982

  Magazine appears as Quadern de les arts i de les lletres de Sabadell from issue 27.

• 1978

  Founded as Amics de les Arts i de les Lletres de Sabadell; Joan Cuscó i Aymamí founds the magazine Quadern.

A private Catalan cultural foundation dedicated to creating and disseminating ideas, arts and letters through publishing, exhibitions and European cooperation.

• Quadern de les idees, les arts i les lletres

  Bimonthly cultural magazine founded in 1978 by Joan Cuscó i Aymamí; admitted to Dialnet in 2009; reached issue 200 in June 2015.

• Biblioteca Quadern

  Editorial collection; includes David Serrano i Blanquer's L'hora blanca. L'Holocaust i Joaquim Amat-Piniella (no. 43, 2004).

• Quaderns del CILEC

  Editorial collection associated with CILEC; includes Morir a Euskadi. 1938-1940. Catalans a Gernika-Lumo (Els papers del Cilec, 1, 2006).

• Imatge i Paraula

  Editorial collection of Fundació Ars.

• Grafia

  Editorial collection of Fundació Ars.

• Persones

  Editorial collection of Fundació Ars.

• Premis Quadern

  Awards given by Fundació Ars to people or entities distinguished in the plastic arts, letters or music.

1. 1Fundació Ars official websitefundacioars.org
2. 2Fundació Ars - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Fundació Ars - Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org