For decades it was the headquarters of Banco Santander on the waterfront Paseo de Pereda, though from 8 September, it's welcoming the public as Faro Santander, a new arts centre that His Majesty King Felipe VI formally inaugurated on the eve of its opening.

From Bank to Beacon

The Pereda Building has reinvented itself many times over. Its story began in the late eighteenth century, and it served as a hotel and a sailing club long before the bank moved in during the 1920s. Its best-known feature came in the 1950s: a monumental arch joining its twin wings, topped by four sculpted figures. The arch has since become one of the most photographed sights on Santander's seafront.

The latest chapter has been shaped by British architect Sir David Chipperfield, the 2023 Pritzker Prize laureate. His approach respects the building's heritage while opening up its interiors to visitors for the first time. Run by the Banco Santander Foundation, Faro Santander, whose name means "lighthouse" in Spanish, is designed as a cultural meeting point for locals and international visitors alike.

Surrealism, Mexican Modernism and More

The centre opens with three headline exhibitions. 

The first draws on the bank's own art collection, while the second is dedicated to modern Mexican art from the renowned Gelman Santander Collection, running until 10 January 2027.

For British visitors, The Symptomatic Surreal: Leonora Carrington (until 31 January 2027) offers a particularly compelling link. The Lancashire-born artist spent a troubled period in Santander in 1940, and the city left a lasting mark on her life and work. The exhibition explores that connection, while elsewhere in the building, an immersive installation reveals the building's past, and a dedicated space showcases emerging artists supported through the centre's creative grants programme.

A Festive Welcome

While entry is free for everyone until 17 September, the opening fortnight is packed with talks, family activities and live music, and on Saturday 12 September a free open-air festival will fill the gardens outside. 

The festival brings together local Cantabrian musicians and ends with the building's façade lit up after dark. On the upper floors, a rooftop terrace and restaurant serve seasonal Cantabrian cuisine with panoramic views over the bay.

Planning a Visit?

From 18 September, Faro Santander will open daily from 10am to 8pm, except on Tuesdays (public holidays aside). Adult tickets are €14, and under-18s go free. Audio guides can be accessed on visitors' own phones at no extra cost, and daily guided tours are also available. Full details and bookings are available at www.farosantander.com.

Well connected to the UK by ferry, Santander is fast becoming one of northern Spain's most rewarding city breaks. Faro Santander joins the striking Centro Botín a short stroll along the seafront, and together they add fresh cultural appeal to a city already celebrated for its golden beaches, Belle Époque elegance and outstanding food scene.

For all press enquiries contact Jessica Harvey Taylor on Jessica.harvey@tourspain.es or the Spanish Tourist Office's PR agency LOTUS on spain@wearelotus.co.uk.

There will be eight exhibitions held in Madrid, three in Malaga, three in Barcelona, one in A Coruña and one in Bilbao. These exhibitions will highlight the artistic trajectory of Picasso throughout Spain and how his works were inspired by each region.  

MALAGA

Picasso was born in Malaga and spent the first ten years of his life living in the city. Although he never returned after the Civil War, the city made a lasting impression on the artist, and frequently featured in the pieces he made throughout his lifetime.

Exhibitions:

• Picasso: Matter and Body (8 August 23 – 10 September 23) – Picasso Museum Malaga
• The echo of Picasso (2 October 23 – 24 March 24) – Picasso Museum Malaga
• The ages of Pablo (21 June 23 – 1 January 24) – Picasso Birthplace Museum

A CORUÑA

Picasso went on to spend four of his formative years in the Galician city of A Coruña moving there when he was nine years old. It was here that he attended the Fine Arts school and gave his first exhibition. There were a number of pivotal moments that the artist experienced in A Coruña, such as the death of his sister, that are said to have influenced his style and artwork.

Exhibition:

• Picasso white in blue memory (23 April 23 – 23 June 23) – A Coruña Museum of Fine Arts

BARCELONA

At the age of 13, Picasso went on to attend the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona where his father taught. The architecture of the city, such as Gaudi’s naturalism and modernism, is said to have greatly inspired him. It provided him with the opportunity to live alongside brilliant artists that left their mark on his art: Ramón Casas, Santiago Rusiñol and Carles Casagemas.

Exhibitions:

• But is it possible that they could have done this before me? Picasso and Spanish ceramics in the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona collections (1 June 22 – 30 September 23) – Picasso Museum in Barcelona
• Daniel – Henry Kahnweiler (18 November 22 – 19 March 23) – Picasso Museum in Barcelona
• Miró – Picasso (19 October 23 – 24 February 24) – Picasso Museum in Barcelona

MADRID

In 1897, Picasso started at the Fine Arts Academy in Madrid and during his time in the city he found inspiration in the great classics in the Prado Museum, such as El Greco.

Exhibitions:

• Julio González, Pablo Picasso and the Dematerialisation of sculpture (23 September 22 – 8 January 23) – Fundación Mapfre
• Picasso, Masterpieces from the Nahmad Collection (4 April 23 – 2 July 23) – Royal Academy Fine Arts
• Picasso / Chanel (11 October 22 – 15 January 23) – Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum
• The last Picasso. 1963 – 1972 (19 May 23 – 17 September 23) – La Casa Encendida
• Picasso – El Greco (13 June 23 – 17 September) – Prado Museum
• Picasso. The sacred and the profane (4 September 23 – 14 January 24) – Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum
• Picasso vs. Velázquez (September – November 23) – Casa de Veláquez
• Picasso 1906: the great transformation (14 November 23 – 4 March 24) – Reina Sofía National Art Centre

BILBAO

Bilbao, one of the main Spanish cities with close ties to the art world, will be celebrating the Picasso Year with an exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum.

Exhibition:

• Picasso: Matter and Body (29 September 23 – 14 January 24) – Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Picasso's legacy can be experienced throughout Spain. For more information visit Spain’s Official Tourism site here.

The Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia has permanent exhibitions of his work such as "Grupa valenciana" and "Figuras de casacas jugando en un jardín". In addition to these, an immersive display entitled "Sorolla a través de la luz" that will showcase some of his rarely exhibited pieces.

There will also be guided tours of Valencia City to visit the sites associated with the painter, including his birthplace, next to the church of Santa Catalina where he was baptized; the Centro del Carmen, the School of Fine Arts where he studied; the Bancaja Cultural Centre, where there will be temporary exhibitions dedicated to the artist; and Malvarrosa beach, which inspired some of his most famous scenes. 

The Vertical restaurant will also be offering a menu inspired by Soralla’s work.

comunitatvalenciana.com

Goya is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries and is celebrated as both one of the last of the Old Masters and a forefather of modern art. His masterpieces include a portrait of Charles IV of Spain and his family (1800-1801), The Third of May (1808-1814), and the infamous Saturn Devouring His Son (1819-1823) which is part of the Black Paintings collection and displayed in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Now in 2021, Aragón will celebrate his life with a programme of events that will take place in cities such as the capital, Zaragoza, and his hometown of Fuendetodos where visitors can pay a visit to his home which was declared a Historic National Monument in 1982.

Zaragoza, the capital of Aragón, will host the following exhibitions in honour of Goya:

Exhibition: Immersive project of Goya’s Black Paintings

Dates: June 2021 – August 2021

Location: Pablo Serrano Museum

Exhibition: Surrealist poetics

Dates: June 2021- September 2021

Location: Pablo Serrano Museum

Exhibition: Goya’s destroyed paintings in Fuendetodos

Dates: 7 October 2021 – 9 January 2022

Location: Sástago Palace

Exhibition: Goya, artist on the Grand Tour

Dates: December 2021 – March 2022

Location: Zaragoza Museum

The Zaragoza City Council will also be running a programme to celebrate the anniversary that will contain a series of cultural activities such as urban art exhibitions in the city centre with reinterpretations of Goya’s works created by young Aragonese artists and Goya figures put in place to be decorated by visitors as well as street theatre productions and other activities.

For foodies, the celebratory programme will also include the Goya Tapas Routes which has seen several establishments, selected based on criteria such as their proximity to prominent places linked to the artist and his legacy, offering set menus inspired by Goya and the era he thrived in.

Goya and his legacy as one of the greatest artists of all time have made the small village of Fuendetodos world famous. The village, which is around 50km from Zaragoza, contains the Engraving Museum, Zuluaga Hall and Goya’s birth home. This inconspicuous farm house where the great artist was born in 1746 now features three floors decorated with furniture and objects that transport visitors back to the 18th century and give them a glimpse into the early life of one of history’s most renowned artists.

More information on celebrating Goya in Aragón is available at www.turismodearagon.com/en/aragon/goya-en-aragon