PUBLISHED ARTICLE - GETTING INVOLVED IN ART AND WORKSHOPS IN BARCELONA

Many will agree that Barcelona has a diverse, vibrant and flourishing classical to modern art scene. This month Barcelona Connect looks at how to get involved and set up a studio, and the future of artists who are just starting out in Barcelona.

There are a plethora of places to get your hands and feet dirty with art projects or courses in Barcelona. A few places to start looking include venues such as El Taller d'art MAÑO and Espai Jove Bocanord. Both offer a range of interesting workshops. There are posters for all types of artistic workshops in the Ravel area and an organisation called Talleres Internacionales de ARTE Contemporáneo who run interesting events and workshops in and around Barcelona.

Prices for non-qualificational courses start at around 40€ and the price range depends on the venue, teacher, level and materials used. Photography courses in general are highly popular. A centre that is quite well-frequented and very reasonably priced is Casa Elizade. A three-month course in photography costs around 50€, however, the courses are only in Catalan! As with all venues it is recommended to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Barcelona Connect chatted to Tom Gruner, an artist who has been active on the Barcelona scene for three years. “For me the most interesting art spaces in Barcelona apart from the MACBA and CCCB that everyone knows, are Caminal, Niu, Hangar, and previously La Escocesa – before it was turned into a 22@ development,” he said.

Getting directly involved in underground art is not necessarily difficult. There are great support groups trying to consolidate the various artistic factions. “A group called Puto Encuentro are at the forefront in bringing fractionalised underground art groups and artists together," Tom said.

Rising property costs have not only affected homebuyers; art studios have experienced a dramatic rise in ground rates. Tom agrees: "Urban regeneration projects such as the @22 project have created a lot of property price speculation. Now many spacious properties are out of the price range of artists here. I don't expect many more to open. I've heard of a few artists finding low cost spaces around Sants or in Hospitalet, but it's a bit far from the centre."

Many artists agree that Barcelona is a difficult city to be successful, mainly due to the cost of living and maintaining a stable studio. Similarly, unless you produce standout works of art, it is hard to sell. Setting up a studio costs around 4 to 10€ a square meter. Most artists are hit with ongoing costs such as utilities, a hefty deposit and, at times, management fees. For about 600-1,500€ a month you can find interesting spaces, with more possibilities towards the higher price range. It might be better for smaller groups of two or three artists to self-manage their own spaces to keep costs down.

Your speciality can at times dictate where it is more reasonable to set up a studio. For those specialising in jewellery or smaller scale art, the Gotico or the Borne seems to be the area of choice. For painting large works or sculpture seek places in Hospitalet, Sants, Poble Sec and Zona Franca.

For the most part, English-speaking artists rarely bring over a workshop from the UK! Creative thinking can help with finding the best places for second-hand materials to kit out a studio. Tom said: “We find a lot of stuff just in the street. Our first studio was built from the leftovers of great construction materials from the Forum de las Culturas. Otherwise the Encants market is good for finding missing tools.”

If you are a budding artist and wish to exhibit here, it’s a good idea to find galleries/spaces and the shows you like, then contact the gallery’s organisers. Tom agrees: “Galleries are always looking for artists. It’s just important for artists to really commit to their ideas and make a collection relating to those ideas, then present them with confidence. Artists shouldn't have to pay anything for an exhibition beyond commission to the gallery for sold works.”

An interesting studio-to-rent project worth a mention is WorkBox - a project set up by the Metropolitan Museum of Barcelona. Basically, you hire a maritime container per month and can even exhibit there. Prices are a uniform 300€ a month, which is expensive but the benefits include a chance to be involved in this art project, to exhibit with established artists and do some networking.

Personal relationships and networking are the key to moving around here in Barcelona and it is important for artists to explore relationships outside their studio. Luckily there is an excellent online resource called Arte En Barcelona fulfilling this need. “One of the best ways to get respect here is to consistently make work and experiment,” said Tom. “People respect dedication a lot and will take you more seriously if you take your work seriously."

Tom Gruner has been in Barcelona for three years and works with print making and ceramics at BCN Art Factory, www.bcnartfactory.org