Ponferrada,
Just a week ago, the Lovie Awards were awarded, recognitions for excellence on the internet, at the European level and in the areas of culture, technology and business, awarded by the European division of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS); Among the winners was La Recicladora Cultural, which won a silver award in the category of websites and mobiles for cultural institutions and which, last year, received an Anthem Award.
Running since 2023 at the initiative of the Energy City Foundation (CIUDEN), it is a project aimed at strengthening the ties between culture and sustainability; also to promote access to cultural activities in rural communities, promoting, through them, local development.
The Cultural Recycler is based, in its operation, on the idea that cultural activities (and materials) may not be ephemeral, but rather have several lives; that it is possible to promote its circularity, that of the initiatives and that of the inputs that serve to carry them out.
In its two years of existence, nearly fifty institutions have joined this proposal by launching cultural projects linked to respect for the environment, loans and donations of museum elements or works and pieces for dissemination and exhibition, or advice and support on sustainability. With each of them a protocol is established and a specific agreement is signed depending on the type of contribution.
In this process there is a key space: the Térmica Cultural, in Ponferrada (León), a renovated old thermal power plant. Due to its versatility, it can accommodate both exhibitions and artistic materials before being reused or recycled, as a logistics and storage center; We are referring to samples that, in addition to generating knowledge or visual pleasure, aim to raise awareness among their audiences regarding the need to adopt more respectful behaviors with the environment.
The institutions involved receive the seal of La Recicladora Cultural (Here we recycle culture), which celebrates the commitment of these entities to circularity and, in addition, recognizes the responsible practices implemented in daily management.
The institutions involved receive the seal of La Recicladora Cultural (Here we recycle culture), which celebrates the commitment of these entities to circularity.
Among the traveling exhibitions or hosted by this initiative are “Quino, Mafalda and the environment”, in Cantabria; “Livin’ la vida madre”, still open in Juzbado (Málaga); “Illustrating science. Krahn: drawings to reflect” (Almonacid de Zorita, Guadalajara); “MAGNIA: The untold story” (Madrid); “The open sky” (Santa Lucía de Gordón, León); “Erosion. Drawings and poems by María Jesús Manzanares and Jose García” (La Térmica Cultural); the Cultural Itineraries of the Council of Europe in Spain (Madrid); “Black Smoke”, by María Jesús Manzanares (Valladolid); “Cortinos. Traditional apiaries of western Asturias”, in Tineo (Asturias); “Just Transition: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” (Listen, Teruel); “América XXI”, by Baltazar Castellano Melo, at Casa Amèrica Catalunya; and “Pioneers of science and coal” (Santa Lucía de Gordón, León). Sometimes they have been accompanied by activities such as guided tours, book presentations or round tables.
The Cultural Recycler is aimed at artists, cultural centers, institutions, museums, curators, foundations, private companies and associations, with special attention to those located in unpopulated areas and, therefore, more difficult to access this type of proposals. The aim is to connect them, generating networks of collaboration and exchange; convert materials and exhibitions into new projects, minimizing waste and optimizing resources; and ultimately create sustainable and accessible cultural experiences.
At the moment, collaborations have been established with Enredando cultura (Villalba de la Sierra, Cuenca), Espacio Abierto (Valladolid), the Patricia García Gómez Foundation of Villarín de Campos (Zamora), the Cantabrian Rural Development Network, Artèria Cultural (Castellón), the Villablino City Council (León), the CIT of Teruel, the Espacio Tormaleo (Ibias y Degaña, Asturias), the Laciana Reserva Foundation the Biosphere (Villablino, León), the Czech Center and the Manolo Prieto Foundation of Madrid, the Díaz-Caneja Foundation of Palencia, the Railowsky Bookstore (Palencia), the cultural association Images and Words (La Aldea, Burgos), La Benéfica de Piloña (Asturias), the Sierra Pambley Foundation (León), Thousand Eyes Produce (Ponferrada), the Sangre Minera association (Bernesga and Ciñera-Matallana), the City Council of La Robla (León), Ecoevent (Valencia), Prodigioso volcano (Madrid), La Jurbial (Asturias), the Bierzo Arts Laboratory (Ponferrada), Juzbado (Salamanca), the Ponferrada Light Factory, the Concello das Pontes (A Coruña) and Casa Amèrica Catalunya (Barcelona).
La Recicladora Cultural accepts questions, suggestions and collaborations here: https://larecicladoracultural.es/
