Spain

Competence structures in Spain are organised on various levels. At state level, the body responsible is the Ministry of Culture which is responsible for orientating the international relations on cultural matters as well as following up the actions of the European Union in this field. Other ministries also play a specific role for international cultural cooperation including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

The Ministry of Culture is made up of five Directorates dealing with all aspects of Culture.
The General Directorate of Cultural Cooperation and Communication has the mission to facilitate external knowledge of the cultural diversity of the 17 Autonomous Communities and to cooperate in the cultural projection of Spain abroad.

The General Directorate for Fine Arts and Cultural Goods has also several international dimensions; it proposes for example the measures to protect the illicit exportation of Spanish cultural goods.

The General Directorate of Books, Archives and Libraries support the promotion and distribution of books abroad: several national archives and libraries including the National Library (Biblioteca Nacional) have received an international remit in this area.
The National Institute for Performing Arts and Music (INAEM) supports the protection and promotion of Spanish theatre, music, dance and circus creation partly through subsidies and grants. It manages arts centres such as the National Ballet, the National Dance Company, the Teatro de la Zarzuela, the Centro de Difusión de la Música Contemporánea, the Auditorio Nacional de Música, the Centro Dramático Nacional and the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico. The Spanish Film and Audio-visual Industry Institute (Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales, I.C.A.A.) supports the development of the film market in Spain in terms of production, distribution, and exhibition.

There are some national arts and heritage organisations. The most important are the Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (MNCARS), the Museum of Roman Art and others. The Autonomous Communities have developed strong cultural policies and programmes that include transnational cultural cooperation. In addition to the central state and the Autonomous Communities, local authorities have also developed international policy with a cultural dimension.

For more information on Spanish culture:
The Ministry of Education and Culture
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The 17 Autonomous Communities
The National Library (Biblioteca Nacional)
The Museo Nacional del Prado
The Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (MNCARS)
The Museum of Roman Art
The Teatro de la Zarzuela
The Centro de Difusión de la Música Contemporánea
The Instituto de Patrimonio Histórico Español
The Auditorio Nacional de Música
The National Ballet
The National Dance Company
The Centro Dramático Nacional
The Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico
The Filmoteca Española