The six works will be divided between creators with established careers and emerging artists. The former will have three direct commissions worth 4,500 euros for the initial stage of the project, on top of the budget to produce the work. The pieces will include homages to Ildefons Cerdà, Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury, as well as to entrepreneurship.

In the case of emerging artists, a public call will be launched for creators linked to the city, with no fixed topics or specific disciplines, but the condition that projects are for public space and are intended to be of a permanent nature. Each project will have a budget of 100,000 euros, including fees and production.

Municipal programme to boost public art 2026-2027

The programme is being funded from a specific budgetary item in the municipal budget of 1,5 million euros. The work of the artists with experience will each have a cost of 400,000 euros, while the budget for the works by the emerging artists will be 100,000 euros per project. The maintenance and conservation of the works will be tasked to the Munciipal Institute for Urban Landscape and Quality of Life, to ensure the city is kept in its fine shape.

The programme is to be managed by the Council for Public Art, a group made up of representatives from the Barcelona Institute of Culture, the Municipal Institute for Urban Landscape and Quality of Life, the Managers’ Office for the Chief Architect and various city museums, together with independent experts. This body will be tasked with choosing the spaces and assessing the art projects.