Soria is preparing for a major cultural event: the formation of the National Photography Center has begun here, with plans to open its doors in autumn 2026. The Ministry of Culture has allocated 500,000 euros for acquiring artworks, enabling the assembly of a starting collection of around two hundred pieces. While the future center’s building is still under renovation, the team is already actively organizing exhibitions and educational programs in partnership with local and national institutions.
According to the center’s director, Mónica Carabias, the new collection will reflect the evolution of Spanish photography in recent decades. The collection features a wide range of genres—from portraits and landscapes to conceptual and performative works. Special emphasis is placed on diversity of viewpoints and styles, highlighting how visual art in Spain has changed throughout the twentieth century.
Major names and unique projects
Among the first acquisitions is the large-scale Gentlemen’s Club series by Cristina de Middel, which includes one hundred photographs. This project explores the lesser-known side of prostitution, focusing on clients rather than workers. The Alicante-based artist spent seven years collecting portraits and stories of men from ten countries, aiming to present their personal motives and experiences without judgment. She notes that the project proved unexpectedly intimate and complex, as each encounter took place in conditions far from those a photographer would usually expect.
Other artists whose works have enriched the collection include José Manuel Ballester, renowned for his architectural and light-based compositions, as well as Chema Madoz, a master of poetic conceptual photography. The collection also acquired ten photographs by Joan Fontcuberta from his eHerbarium series, where reflections on nature intertwine with questions of image authenticity, and the diptych El herbario by Jorge Yeregui, centered on memory and landscape.
Expanding the Collection and Introducing New Names
The Ministry of Culture has announced plans to acquire works by all winners of the National Photography Award—about thirty artists. These include Javier Vallhonrat, Alberto García Alix, Cristina García Rodero, Ouka Lele, Gervasio Sánchez, Alberto Schommer, Pilar Aymerich, Isabel Muñoz, among others. This year, Carmela García joined the list, and her works will also become part of the center’s collection.
The creation of such an institution in Soria marks a significant step for the entire country. According to Cristina de Middel, the opening of the center will allow Spain to join other European countries where similar institutions have long existed. She notes that, despite the city’s distance from major tourist routes, the project could draw the attention of researchers, collectors, and the general public.
Decentralization and Cultural Policy
The center’s location in Soria is part of a government strategy to decentralize cultural initiatives. The Ministry of Culture emphasizes that the new center will become a hub for creatives, researchers, and tourists, as well as help develop new routes for exhibitions and educational programs. The facility will be housed in the former Banco de España branch on Plaza de las Mujeres, where construction is currently underway.
Despite not yet having a permanent location, the center’s team is already holding educational and outreach events. In collaboration with the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Soria, the first workshop focused on the study of photographic materials is planned. Earlier this month, the first Photography Days and the XI History of Photography Meeting took place, organized jointly with the Castilla-La Mancha Research Center and supported by local authorities.
Challenges of the digital age and the center’s future
One of the center’s key topics will be the impact of artificial intelligence on photography and copyright. Mónica Karabias believes that legislative solutions are needed at both national and European levels. She emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional photographic methods, but acknowledges the potential of new technologies when used responsibly and creatively.
The National Center for Photography in Soria aims not only to assemble a unique collection, but also to serve as a platform for discussing modern challenges, sharing experiences, and developing the professional community. Expectations for the project are high, and it is already clear that it has the potential to transform the cultural landscape of the region and all of Spain.
