Juan March Foundation

The Juan March Foundation is a Spanish cultural and educational foundation established in 1955 by Juan March. It operates as a not-for-profit institution whose activities span the visual arts, music, theatre, lectures, research libraries, publishing and advanced social-science education. Rather than functioning as a commercial brand, it presents itself through a continuing programme of public cultural production and the stewardship of collections, archives and specialist knowledge resources. Its principal base is in Madrid’s Salamanca district. The headquarters, inaugurated in 1975, was designed by José Luis Picardo Castellón and is distinguished by contrasting bands of marble and glass. The building includes exhibition areas, a 283-seat chamber-music concert hall, a 114-seat lecture hall and a research library. The venue has traditionally supported a substantial annual programme, with approximately 125 concerts, 110 conferences and four exhibitions reported in the reference material. Concerts have also reached audiences through radio broadcasts, including broadcasts by Radio Clásica and Catalunya Música. The foundation’s cultural scope extends beyond its Madrid headquarters. It owns and operates the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español in Cuenca and the Museu Fundación Juan March in Palma. The Cuenca museum was established in 1966 by the painter Fernando Zóbel and has been managed by the Juan March Foundation since 1981. It is associated with one of the most important collections of Spanish abstract art and has been recognized for its setting and collection. A 2015 anniversary programme marked the museum’s fiftieth anniversary with an extension and improvements to the presentation of its holdings. Research and documentation are another major part of the institution’s identity. Its Madrid research library specializes in contemporary Spanish theatre and music, illusionism and curatorial studies. Its digital library is organized into ten thematic portals and contains more than 180,000 catalogue records covering monographs, scores, periodicals, photographs, posters, sketches and original manuscript material. The foundation also preserves the personal libraries of Julio Cortázar, Fernando Zóbel and Francisco Ruiz Ramón, as well as personal archives associated with composers and playwrights. The foundation has also supported advanced academic work in the social sciences. Its former Center for Advanced Study in the Social Sciences, known as CEACS, granted nearly one hundred doctoral degrees to Spanish students. The academic programme and related resources were subsequently incorporated into the Instituto mixto Carlos III/Juan March de Ciencias Sociales, jointly financed with Charles III University of Madrid. Based at the university’s Getafe campus, the institute focuses on political science and sociology, comparative research, methodological training and postgraduate education, with an international network of scholars. Digital access became increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when attendance at cultural venues was restricted. The foundation expanded the availability of archive material online, streamed events through Canal March and introduced podcast formats, including English-language programming. This combination of physical venues, broadcasting, digital archives, libraries, museums and academic partnerships gives the Juan March Foundation a broad cultural-infrastructure role within Spain. Its present profile is therefore that of a long-running private cultural foundation with public-facing programmes in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

The Juan March Foundation was established in 1955 by Juan March. From its beginning, the institution developed as a private Spanish foundation concerned with cultural and intellectual life rather than as a commercial enterprise. Its programme came to include visual-art exhibitions, concerts, lectures, research resources and support for advanced study. A central stage in the foundation’s institutional development was the opening of its Madrid headquarters in 1975. Located in the Salamanca district, the building was designed by José Luis Picardo Castellón. Its architecture combines contrasting marble and glass bands and accommodates several functions: exhibition space, a chamber-music hall, a lecture hall and a research library. The auditorium seats 283 people, while the lecture hall seats 114. The Madrid site became the principal setting for a continuing programme of public events, including approximately 125 concerts, 110 conferences and four exhibitions in a typical year according to the reference material. Music has remained a prominent part of the foundation’s public identity. Its Wednesday concerts have been broadcast by Radio Clásica, and Saturday broadcasts have also been carried by Catalunya Música. The Madrid premises contain sculptures by Eduardo Chillida and Eusebio Sempere near the entrance, with additional works in the patio by Gustavo Torner, Miguel Ortiz Berrocal and Martín Chirino. The foundation’s concert-hall facilities were modified in 2019 when its organ was removed to create additional stage space. The institution’s museum role expanded through its management of the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español in Cuenca. Fernando Zóbel founded the museum in 1966, and the Juan March Foundation assumed management in 1981. The museum became associated with a particularly important group of works by Spanish abstract artists. Its reputation was reinforced by praise from Alfred Barr, the founding director of the Museum of Modern Art, after a visit in 1970. In 2015, the museum marked its fiftieth anniversary through an extension and improvements to its collection presentation. The foundation also operates the Museu Fundación Juan March in Palma. Documentation and preservation developed alongside the exhibition and performance programmes. The Madrid research library specializes in contemporary Spanish theatre and music, illusionism and curatorial studies. Its digital library comprises ten thematic portals and a catalogue exceeding 180,000 records, including books, sheet music, periodicals, photographs, posters, sketches and original manuscripts. The foundation also maintains the personal libraries of Julio Cortázar, Fernando Zóbel and Francisco Ruiz Ramón, together with approximately fifteen personal archives linked to composers and playwrights. A smaller library is located in the sculpture garden. The foundation’s academic work has focused particularly on the social sciences. Its Center for Advanced Study in the Social Sciences granted nearly one hundred doctoral degrees to Spanish students. That centre’s academic staff, activities, programmes and library were later incorporated into the jointly financed Instituto mixto Carlos III/Juan March de Ciencias Sociales at Charles III University of Madrid. Based at the Getafe campus, the institute conducts research and postgraduate training in political science and sociology, emphasizing comparative studies, methodological rigour and international scholarly exchange. More than sixty academics pass through the institute each year for seminars, workshops and academic meetings. In the digital era, the foundation has used streaming and online archival access to extend the reach of its programmes. This became especially significant during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public attendance was restricted. The institution increased online access to archive materials, streamed events through Canal March and introduced podcasts, including some in English. Its current identity consequently combines physical cultural venues with museums, libraries, broadcasts, digital archives and academic research partnerships.

• 2020

  Digital access expanded during the pandemic

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation increased online archive access and added digital formats such as streaming and podcasts during the COVID-19 disruption.

• 2019

  Madrid concert hall reorganized

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  The hall’s organ was removed to create additional space on the concert stage.

• 2015

  Cuenca museum celebrates its fiftieth anniversary

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  The museum marked its fiftieth anniversary with an extension and improvements to its collection presentation.

• 1981

  Foundation begins managing the Cuenca museum

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  The Juan March Foundation assumed management of the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español.

• 1975

  Madrid headquarters inaugurated

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation opened its purpose-built headquarters in Madrid’s Salamanca district, designed by José Luis Picardo Castellón.

• 1970

  Alfred Barr praises the Cuenca museum

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  Alfred Barr, founder of the Museum of Modern Art, praised the Cuenca museum during a visit.

• 1966

  Museo de Arte Abstracto Español founded in Cuenca

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  Painter Fernando Zóbel established the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español in Cuenca.

• 1955

  Foundation established

  [1]Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org

  Juan March established the foundation in Spain to support cultural, artistic and intellectual activities.

A major Spanish cultural foundation combining public arts programming, museum stewardship, documentary preservation, digital dissemination and advanced social-science research.

• Cultural programming

  Madrid cultural programme

  The Madrid headquarters presents recurring exhibitions, chamber-music concerts, lectures and conference series. Its programme combines events in the visual arts, music, theatre, humanities and related fields, using dedicated exhibition, performance and lecture spaces. Concerts have also been distributed through radio broadcasts and the foundation’s digital channels.

• Art museum · 1966

  Museo de Arte Abstracto Español

  Located in Cuenca, the museum was founded by Fernando Zóbel in 1966 and has been managed by the Juan March Foundation since 1981. It holds a major collection of Spanish abstract art. Its fiftieth-anniversary programme in 2015 included an extension and improvements to the presentation of the collection.

• Art museum

  Museu Fundación Juan March

  The foundation operates the Museu Fundación Juan March in Palma as part of its network of cultural institutions and collections.

• Library and archive

  Research library and digital library

  The foundation’s research library specializes in contemporary Spanish theatre and music, illusionism and curatorial studies. Its online library is organized through ten thematic portals and contains more than 180,000 catalogue records, including books, scores, periodicals, photographs, posters, sketches and manuscript documents. It also preserves personal libraries and archival collections.

• Digital media

  Canal March

  Canal March distributes recordings and streams of the foundation’s cultural events. The digital service became particularly important when pandemic restrictions limited access to the foundation’s physical venues.

• Social-science institute

  Instituto mixto Carlos III/Juan March de Ciencias Sociales

  Jointly financed by the Juan March Foundation and Charles III University of Madrid, the institute conducts research and advanced postgraduate training in political science and sociology. It inherited the academic staff, programmes, activities and library of the former Center for Advanced Study in the Social Sciences.

• 2020Pandemic digital-access programme

  Spain · Online international audience

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation increased online access to archival material, streamed cultural events through Canal March and introduced podcast formats, including English-language content.

  Outcome. The initiative broadened remote access to the foundation’s cultural and educational resources when in-person attendance was difficult.

  Source

• 2020

  Accelerate digital disseminationStrategy

  Background

  COVID-19 restrictions made ordinary attendance at cultural venues more difficult.

  Action taken

  The foundation expanded online archive access, maintained streaming through Canal March and introduced podcasts, including English-language series.

  Aftermath

  More of the foundation’s events and archival resources became available to audiences unable to visit its physical venues.

  Source

• 2019

  Remove the Madrid concert-hall organStrategy

  Background

  The foundation reviewed the use of space in its 283-seat chamber-music hall.

  Action taken

  The organ was removed to provide more room on the stage.

  Aftermath

  The hall continued to serve the foundation’s chamber-music programme with a larger usable stage area.

  Source

• 2015

  Expand and improve the Cuenca museumOther

  Background

  The Museo de Arte Abstracto Español reached its fiftieth anniversary.

  Action taken

  The foundation marked the anniversary with an extension and improvements to the collection presentation.

  Aftermath

  The museum continued operating as one of the foundation’s principal art institutions.

  Source

• 1981

  Take over management of the Cuenca abstract-art museumStrategy

  Background

  The Museo de Arte Abstracto Español had been founded in 1966 by Fernando Zóbel and had become an important centre for Spanish abstract art.

  Action taken

  The Juan March Foundation began managing the museum and incorporated it into its long-term cultural-institution network.

  Aftermath

  The museum remained a major part of the foundation’s museum activities and later received anniversary expansion and collection-presentation improvements.

  Source

1. 1Fundación Juan Marchen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Juan March Foundation official websitemarch.es