A heated debate has erupted in Barcelona over a new international residency for writers from Latin America. City officials have announced the launch of a program offering €80,000 in funding for authors who come to the Catalan capital and write about the city. The project is being implemented with the support of the city consortium of libraries and Casa Amèrica Catalunya.
However, the initiative has sparked a wave of discontent among members of the Catalan literary community. Just a day after the announcement, the Association of Writers in the Catalan Language (Associació d’Escriptors en Llengua Catalana) issued an official statement addressed to Mayor Jaume Collboni. In it, they called for the cancellation of the grant and proposed that all allocated funds be redirected to the development of literature in the Catalan language.
Community Reaction
The discussion continues unabated on social media and literary forums. Many authors and readers feel that such a large sum dedicated to promoting literature in Spanish seems inappropriate amid the ongoing decline in Catalan speakers. According to recent data, less than a quarter of Barcelona’s residents regularly use Catalan in their daily lives.
Some participants in the debate note that the size of the new grant significantly exceeds all existing grants and prizes for publishing books in Catalan. This, they say, creates a sense of unfairness and concern for the future of their native language.
Political Response
Politicians have also voiced criticism. Jordi Martí Galbis, a representative of Junts per Catalunya, stated that municipal grants should primarily support Catalan authors and the language itself. Elisenda Alamany, Secretary General of ERC, expressed doubt that a guest writer could capture the spirit and identity of Barcelona after spending just three months in the city at the municipality’s expense.
At the same time, city officials emphasize that the new program does not cancel the existing support measures for Catalan literature. According to Xavier Marcé, head of culture and creative industries, Montserrat Roig scholarships are already in place, with 1.5 million euros allocated in recent years. In addition, there are writer exchange programs and subsidies for translation.
Funding structure
According to city authorities, the majority of the new residency’s budget will go not directly to the author, but to organizing the process: out of €80,000, only €20,000 is allocated as the writer’s fee. The rest is intended for publishing costs, translations into Catalan, distribution, information support, as well as covering accommodation, meals, and transportation expenses.
For comparison, the Montserrat Roig scholarships, which are primarily aimed at Catalan authors, amount to €6,000, with 27 such grants planned for next year. City officials emphasize that 74% of the writers invited to the Guadalajara Book Fair (FIL de Guadalajara) write in Catalan.
Linguistic context
The debate over funding priorities for literature has intensified in light of recent data showing a decline in the number of Catalan speakers. According to the Department of Language Policy of the Generalitat and the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Idescat), the share of Barcelona residents who use Catalan regularly continues to drop. This has heightened concerns among writers and public figures who fear further marginalization of the language.
The Association of Writers in Catalan notes that Catalan literature cannot count on support outside Catalonia, making it crucial for local authorities to ensure its growth and visibility. At the same time, some critics argue that the new scholarship could not only strengthen the position of Spanish, but also overlook the languages of Latin America’s indigenous peoples.
The debate continues
Debate continues over the new residence for Latin American writers. In Barcelona’s literary circles, discussions persist about the proper allocation of public funds and which languages should be prioritized in cultural initiatives. The issue of balancing international cooperation with the protection of local identity remains unresolved.
