Fundación March

Fundación March
Name	Fundación March
Founded	1955
Founder	Juan March Ordinas
Headquarters	Madrid
Type	Private foundation
Purpose	Cultural patronage, research, arts

Fundación March is a private Spanish foundation established in 1955 by philanthropist Juan March Ordinas to promote arts, humanities, and social sciences through exhibitions, research, and publications. The foundation operates cultural centers, museums, and research institutes in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, and collaborates with universities, museums, and cultural institutions across Spain and internationally. Its activities include exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, support for historical research, and dissemination of Iberian cultural heritage, engaging with collections, archives, and scholarly networks tied to prominent figures and institutions.

History

The foundation was created in the mid-20th century amid Spain’s postwar cultural reconstruction, connecting the legacy of Juan March Ordinas with institutions such as the Museo del Prado, Museo Reina Sofía, and the Real Academia Española. Early initiatives built links with universities like the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the Universidad de Barcelona, while fostering relationships with cultural patrons including the Banco Hispanoamericano and the Instituto de Empresa (IE). Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the foundation sponsored exhibitions referencing artists and movements associated with Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and collectors like Eugeni d'Ors; later decades saw partnerships with curators from the Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim Bilbao. The 1990s and 2000s expanded programs in scholarship and publishing, aligning with research centers at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and archives connected to historians of the Spanish Civil War and the Transition to democracy.

Mission and Activities

The foundation's mission emphasizes promotion of cultural heritage and support for scholarly inquiry, coordinating with institutions such as the Biblioteca Nacional de España, the Archivo General de Indias, and European research networks including the European University Institute. It organizes exhibitions, conferences, and lecture series drawing speakers from the Universidad de Salamanca, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and international universities like Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Columbia University. Programs involve collaborations with curatorial teams from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Centre Pompidou, and the National Gallery, and grant cycles for scholars linked to organizations such as the Fundación BBVA and the AECID.

Collections and Cultural Programs

Collections focus on modern and contemporary art, archival materials, and documentation related to Iberian culture, displayed in venues comparable to the Fundació Joan Miró and the Museu Picasso Barcelona. Exhibitions have featured works tied to José Ortega y Gasset and Antonio Machado, and retrospectives involving artists like Rafael Alberti and Montserrat Caballé in cross-disciplinary programs with institutions like the Gran Teatre del Liceu and the Teatro Real. The foundation curates loan exhibitions coordinated with the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Fundación La Caixa, and the Museo Sorolla, while concert series and music programs have included collaborations with orchestras such as the Orquesta Nacional de España and ensembles associated with the Auditorio Nacional de Música.

Research and Publications

A central pillar is scholarly publishing and research support through monographs, catalogs, and working papers produced in cooperation with academic presses like the Editorial Aguilar and university presses of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the Universidad de Barcelona. Research topics span art history linked to Francisco de Goya and Diego Velázquez, economic history referencing Manuel Azaña and Salvador de Madariaga, and legal-historical studies intersecting with archives of the Cortes Generales. The foundation sponsors research chairs, fellowships, and conferences with institutions such as the Real Academia de la Historia, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Banco de España to produce catalogs raisonnés, critical editions, and interdisciplinary volumes distributed to libraries including the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Library of Congress.

Architecture and Facilities

Facilities include exhibition halls and research centers located in purpose-renovated buildings in Madrid, with conservation labs and auditoriums comparable to spaces at the Palacio de Cibeles and the Real Casa de Correos. Architectural interventions have involved firms and architects connected with projects at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and the Guggenheim Bilbao, hosting installations and site-specific works by artists who have shown at the Serpentine Galleries and the Venice Biennale. Facilities support conservation projects with technical teams that collaborate with the Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España and international restoration programs at the Getty Conservation Institute.

Governance and Funding

Governance is typically composed of a board of trustees and directors drawn from business families, cultural managers, and academics linked to entities like the Banco March, the Consejo Económico y Social, and the Fundación ONCE. Funding sources include endowments from the family foundation connected to Juan March Ordinas, philanthropic partnerships with Spanish banks such as Banco Santander, and program-specific grants coordinated with institutions like the European Commission and corporate partners including La Caixa. Accountability structures align with Spanish regulatory frameworks and oversight by administrations comparable to the Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte and the Comunidad de Madrid.

Category:Cultural organisations based in Spain