L’Ateneu Popular 9 Barris

C Portlligat, 11*15

With a past linked to civil activism and local community movements, Ateneu Popular 9 Barris has been using art as a tool for social transformation since 1977. It has promoted artistic creation in all disciplines right from the start, placing a particular emphasis on the circus – an art that has turned the Ateneu into a cradle for artists as well as a first-class stage and a pioneer on the international scene.

An artistic space with a life of its own

The history of Ateneu Popular 9 Barris began in 1977 when the locals fought to reclaim an old asphalt plant and turn it into a sociocultural centre. Since then, the Ateneu’s work has been related to artistic and social activities under the management of the Associació Bidó de Nou Barris, and it has become a model for the whole of Barcelona.

The circus as an emblem

One of the main goals of Ateneu Popular 9 Barris since its beginnings has been to provide artistic and social training in a number of disciplines, with a special focus on the circus. This work started off with workshops and it was consolidated through the creation of the Escola Infantil de Circ (Children’s Circus School) in 1984 and the Escola Juvenil de Circ (Youth Circus School) in 2003. The centre has also hosted the Escola de Circ Rogelio Rivel (Rogelio Rivel Circus School) since 1999, which offers a two-year programme designed to train circus professionals.

The desire to spread popular culture and the fact that it hosts a theatre have also made it an essential setting for quality shows from national and international circus companies, and locals pay affordable prices to attend these.

Ateneu Popular 9 Barris has also been putting on its own productions since 1996, when it created the emblematic Circ d’Hivern (Winter Circus). This initiative allows professional companies to stage shows that have not been done before and means a new show every Christmas. The work this influential centre does earned it the 2015 Barcelona Medal of Honour.