«Barcelona must compete on the basis of knowledge, culture, and the value it brings. The cities that will lead are those that know how to connect institutions, sectors, and talent» by Marta Lacambra

Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera is a private foundation that works to generate opportunities and improve people's quality of life by connecting different areas of activity. The La Pedrera building, a Gaudí work, is undoubtedly one of its great icons, but the Foundation's relevance goes beyond its symbolic value. Its director general, Marta Lacambra, in this conversation, talks about a culture that grows when it brings together different perspectives and contexts, about a Barcelona that must lead from knowledge and collaboration, and about the role an institution like the Foundation must play in society, because it's not just about reaching many people, but about being relevant to the citizens you reach.

The Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera articulates heritage, culture, and social commitment. How do these three dimensions coexist within a single strategic vision?

Rather than dimensions that coexist, what exists is a single project with different tools. Heritage and culture are part of this whole, but always in service of a broader goal: contributing to a more just, sustainable society with more opportunities for everyone.

From there, we carry out our activities in various areas that address major societal challenges. We support older adults with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, helping them maintain their abilities and providing support to their families. We work with people in vulnerable situations and with disabilities to improve their living conditions and facilitate their integration into the workforce.

We also promote top-level research and educational innovation, encourage scientific vocations, and provide opportunities for talented young people. We develop projects related to food and health through the Fundació Alícia and work on the management and conservation of forests and natural spaces to make them more resilient to the challenges of climate change, such as wildfires.

And, at the same time, we are responsible for our cultural heritage, such as La Pedrera or Món Sant Benet, and for our natural spaces, such as the Congost de Mont-rebei or the Muntanya d’Alinyà.

Our model has an important particularity: we are a self-sustaining foundation. The resources we generate, mainly through La Pedrera and the co-payment of some of our programs, are fully reinvested to drive all of the Foundation’s projects. This allows us to work independently and with a strong focus on impact.

The Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera is a private foundation that works to generate opportunities and improve people’s quality of life, with a multidisciplinary approach that connects different areas of action.

In the current context, what role does the Foundation aspire to play in the cultural field?

Our commitment is realized by organizing top-level exhibitions featuring key artists and movements in art history. But the most important thing is not just what we exhibit, but why we do it: to bring these works closer to society and make them accessible, understandable, and relevant.

We also strongly believe in working in partnership. Culture grows when it is built with others, when it brings together different perspectives and contexts. That is why we work to take exhibitions beyond the walls of La Pedrera’s exhibition hall, organizing activities around the show with cultural institutions such as the Gran Teatre del Liceu or the Palau de la Música, among others.

A good example is the current exhibition, Los Nabis: de Bonnard a Vuillardthe first dedicated to this movement in Barcelona, which allows us to bring closer a key moment in European art history through a perspective closely connected to everyday life and experience.

In addition, La Pedrera’s exhibition hall has a very unique added value: it is located on the building’s main floor, the space that originally housed the Milà family residence. This makes the exhibition experience not only artistic, but also spatial and historical, with a very direct connection between the content and the place

But it is important to emphasize that culture is one of the tools we use, not the exclusive focus of our project.

Barcelona faces profound debates about its model. What challenges and opportunities do you foresee?

Barcelona has a great opportunity if it knows how to build a narrative that is coherent with what it truly is.

It is a city with extraordinary assets—heritage, culture, talent, universities, research…—but they are often presented in a fragmented way. The challenge is to turn this sum into a shared project.

It is also necessary to strengthen its positioning through quality. Barcelona cannot compete solely on volume or superficial appeal; it must do so through knowledge, culture, and the value it brings.

And here, collaboration will be key. The cities that will lead will be those that know how to connect institutions, sectors, and talent within strong ecosystems.

What role can the Foundation play in balancing tourism, identity, and quality of life?

Tourism is part of Barcelona’s reality and also of its international projection. The challenge is not so much its existence, but how it is managed and what role it plays within the city’s model.

In the case of an institution like ours, which manages one of the most visited spaces in Barcelona, the responsibility is twofold. On one hand, we must offer a high-quality experience that lives up to the heritage we represent in tourist visits. But on the other hand, we must ensure that this activity makes sense within the city and does not become disconnected from its surroundings, as is the case with our exhibition programming, which is primarily attended by the local public.

This means understanding heritage not only as a place to visit, but as a space that is part of Barcelona’s cultural and social life—attractive to visitors, but also relevant and accessible to the local community.

It also implies a way of working: prioritizing quality over quantity, taking care of the experience, the narrative, and respect for the place. When this happens, tourism ceases to be just a flow and becomes an opportunity to strengthen the city’s identity and cultural value.

In this balance, the role of institutions is key: ensuring that what we do contributes to the city, not just to those who visit it.

Does the legitimacy of an institution today depend on its social impact?

Without a doubt.

Today, legitimacy is built not only on prestige or excellence, but on the meaning and usefulness of what is done.

For many years, institutions have gained legitimacy through the value of their assets or the quality of their offerings. And that remains essential. But today, society demands more: coherence, responsibility, and the ability to contribute to the common good. In this context, social impact is not just a line of action, but a criterion. It is the way the role of an institution is interpreted within society. For us, this means understanding that any activity must generate value beyond itself. It is not just about reaching many people, but about being relevant to those people.

In short, legitimacy today is built on usefulness.

What are the main challenges in heritage management today?

The main challenge is understanding that heritage can no longer be managed solely from a conservation perspective, but from its relevance.

There is also a challenge in the way we present heritage. It is no longer enough to convey information; we must build narratives that help interpret it and integrate it into the contemporary experience.

In short, the challenge is not just to preserve it, but to ensure that it remains meaningful.

How would you define the relevance of La Pedrera today? Which aspect of Gaudí’s vision does the Foundation connect with the most?

La Pedrera is, without a doubt, one of Barcelona’s great icons, but its relevance today goes beyond its architectural or symbolic value.

It is a space that has managed to stay alive, capable of engaging with the present and actively participating in the city’s cultural and social life. At the same time, it has a less visible but essential function: it is the starting point that allows us to carry out the Foundation’s project.

That is why its relevance today lies in this dual dimension: being an internationally recognized icon and, at the same time, a space fully connected with the reality and needs of today’s society. To a large extent, this ability to remain meaningful has much to do with Gaudí’s vision.

Gaudí is an extraordinarily complex figure, but we particularly connect with his way of understanding creation as an integral process. He did not work in compartments, but from a global perspective that integrated art, technique, nature, and experience. This way of thinking feels very close to us, because we also work through the connection between different areas. We understand that major challenges cannot be addressed from a single perspective.

And there is another idea that speaks to us particularly: the centrality of the individual. His works are designed to be experienced, and that connection with experience is, probably, what represents us the most.

Which less visible aspect would you like people to discover?

I would like people to see much more of everything that lies behind La Pedrera.

Behind it, there is a foundation that works in very diverse areas and uses this heritage as a tool to generate opportunities and real impact for people. This connection is not always evident, and I believe it is an essential part of who we are. I would also like it to be better understood that La Pedrera’s activity does not end with the visitor experience. What happens inside the building continues outside, in the form of projects and initiatives that have an impact on society.

At its core, it’s about changing the perspective: moving from seeing just a building to understanding everything it activates, everything it makes possible, and everything behind it.

What future do you envision for the Foundation?

I envision a Foundation that continues to advance in depth: not so much doing more things, but doing them with greater meaning, stronger connections, and a higher capacity for impact.

The future involves strengthening this unique model: an independent, self-sustaining entity with a multidisciplinary perspective, capable of connecting diverse areas to address complex challenges. I also envision a Foundation even more connected to society, with a greater capacity to listen and adapt to changing contexts. The future does not lie in linear growth, but in deepening quality and the ability to build partnerships.

And La Pedrera will continue to be key, but always as what it is: a tool that allows us to support this project and help it grow with solidity and purpose.

And, on a personal level, what continues to move you?

Knowing that we will reach more than 4,000 participants in our Alzheimer-related projects, through our memory enhancement program, is one of the things that gives the most meaning to the work we do.

Also, driving long-term projects, such as the one we are developing with the Parc de Collserola and the Diputació de Barcelona to ensure the forest management of such an emblematic space, with the responsibility that this entails.

Over the years, you learn that projects only have meaning if they reach someone, if they create change. And seeing that journey is the most rewarding part.