WeBarcelona newsletter

BCNegra

The black novel festival BCNegra 2021, which reaches its sixteenth edition, has positioned itself as one of the most important events of the black genre in terms of the number of participating writers, the variety of content and the commitment to other cultural expressions in relation to gender and the success of the public in all the activities carried out. All BCNegra activities are free and you can attend talks, round tables, screenings, exhibitions and guided tours, which in this year's edition will be held virtually and you will be able to see or retrieve until the last day of the event (the guided tours can follow them on podcast and do them on your own).

The concerts of the Palau de la Música Catalana

One of the most visible activities of the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana is the organization of classical music concerts, which is reflected every year in the Palau de la Música season. But this modernist building designed by the Barcelona architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, also hosts concerts for the whole family and concerts by other organizers in which, in addition to classical music, they offer other kinds of musical styles such as jazz, flamenco, folk, rock or pop.

New Year's Eve parties in Barcelona?

This year, due to the sanitary regulations established to reduce coronavirus infections, entertainment venues such as discos, party rooms, clubs, restaurants, bars, etc., will not be able to organize New Year's Eve Parties in Barcelona. So there will be no choice but to celebrate the transition from 2020, the fateful 2020, to the hopeful 2021 at home. Not even street celebrations will be allowed, but fireworks can be seen from most of the city. Remember that only celebrations with a maximum of 10 people will be allowed (preferably from usual circles) and that the curfew has been extended until 1:30 a.m. Take this into account if you are going to another place.

The Christmas of the Museums of Barcelona

The museums and other municipal cultural spaces of Barcelona have prepared a Christmas adapted to the current situation, but with a great diversity of proposals aimed at the family audience, but also at the adult audience. Until January 6, the cultural centers will be filled with exhibitions, guided tours, workshops and other activities. Many of the exhibitions are already underway or are part of the museums' permanent collections. In these cases, new activities are organized around them. You can also access museum houses, such as Casa Vicens, with a discount.

New Year's Eve, The Chimes of New Year

This year there will be no show in Monjtuïc, but there will be fireworks throughout the city. Coinciding with the twelve chimes, which can be heard from everywhere, twelve glowing palm trees will be thrown in each of the ten districts of Barcelona. These decentralized bells and the launching of the palm trees will be the prelude to a great fireworks show that will be visible from most of the city. Fireworks will be launched for 15 minutes at a rhythm and height sufficient for the audience to enjoy a spectacular view even from afar. So this year, go out to your balcony or terrace, look out the window or go up to the roof of your building. If you can't do any of that, remember that the show will be broadcast live on television.

After a long confinement, a de-escalation and a return to a certain normality that was baptized as the new normal, we reached selective confinements, curfews, temporary (and unfortunately permanent) closures of bars, restaurants and other businesses. By decree of a virus that has arrived with force at the gates of December, we will have a Christmas on probation. It is surprising for this reason, as throughout all these months of closings, openings, escalations, de-escalations, cancellations and postponements, numerous events have been held. The Internet and the virtual world have helped a lot, of course, but we are convinced that even without the digital, event organizers would have managed to keep a flame burning, that's what it was all about. We have tried to put this on the record, often fighting discouragement but not being carried away by it. This is how it will continue to be this Christmas, that of 2020, which will begin tomorrow in Barcelona with the lighting of lights.

Posidonia Green Festival

Posidonia Green Festival has been organized in various areas of the Mediterranean since 2008. Its objectives are to promote environmental protection, culture focused on sustainability and also artistic expression that helps achieve the first two objectives. On the days that the festival is held, you can attend talks, workshops, concerts, screenings and exhibitions, although this year 2020 the event will be completely online and free.

SUNCINE (International Environment Film Festival)

SUNCINE, The International Environmental Film Festival, was born with the intention of being a pioneering festival and a world reference in environmental film. And they have succeeded, there are already 27 editions through which thousands of films and documentaries from many countries have passed. The great novelty this year is that most of the films can be viewed for free by installing an app, although screenings in cinemas will be maintained, as long as the situation allows.

Asian Film Festival Barcelona - AFFBCN

Eighth edition of the festival specializing in cinema from the Asia-Pacific region organized by Casa Asia, that this edition will be held in a mixed format, in person and online. The festival will include 118 feature films from 25 countries in its program, of which 70% will be screened in the cinemas and the remaining 30% can be seen on FILMIN. In this edition, the cinema of Southeast Asia has a greater role (Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand). The Philippines presents 10 films, including "Mindanao" (2019) and "The Halt" (2019), by Brillante Mendoza and Lav Díaz. Also noteworthy is the film project “Mekong 2030” a film composed of 5 shorts about the future of the Mekong River.

Bill Brandt - Paul Strand

The MAPFRE Foundation in Barcelona is on the move: it leaves what had been its headquarters for four years (Casa Garriga Nogués) and opens a new cultural exhibition center dedicated exclusively to photography. This new showroom is located in the Vela building in the Mapfre Tower and has been named KBr Fundación MAPFRE - Barcelona Photo Center. KBr Fundación MAPFRE begins its journey by organizing a double exhibition with two of the masters of 20th century photography: Bill Brandt and Paul Strand.