Àfora

A dialogue between contemporary art and the performing arts.

The Romea Foundation investigates artistic forms to activate terms such as fervor, passion, the sublime, beauty or inspiration that paradoxically cause discomfort. A discomfort that manifests itself when we show ourselves sensitive to the world and reveal our vulnerability. It could be said that our effort seeks to summon ghosts, as Joan Fontcuberta did with the artist Margarida Xirgu, or Eduard Márquez when he tried, in a certain way, to overcome his ghosts to advance his literary work.

The intersection wall between the theater and the street, between the stage and society.

In the theater world, the virtual wall that separates the stage from the spectators is known as the fourth wall, and for a long time the actor-spectator interaction has been called “breaking the fourth wall”.

La 5a Paret is a meeting point that will allow us to capture concepts that emerged from the stage and take them to the field of philosophy, to analyze them from different angles and formats.

Àfora Edicions is the publishing imprint of Focus, created to protect the will to permanence of ÀFORA’s activity, and the conceptual and aesthetic relevance of selected texts and creators.

Within Àfora Edicions, collections such as Pre|Ocupaciones coexist, an editorial format created to channel Focus’s needs for reflection on certain topics that occupied us in internal debates, or Quaderns de Notes, inspired by the tradition of books/exploration based on quotes, aphorisms and literary maxims; books where everything is said through quotes and which are creative sources for actors, actresses and playwrights of Catalan and Spanish theater. Notebooks created to leaf through, read, wrap up and let themselves be carried away.

The Escenaris collection brings to the editorial format the most outstanding texts of contemporary dramaturgy, such as the adaptation of John Milton’s text Paraíso perdido, written by Helena Tornero and illustrated by Paula Bonet, Safo, by Cristina Rosenvinge, or Immunitat, by Jordi Casanovas, among others.

Àlbum de teatre is a publication where the reader can take a visual journey through great moments experienced by actors and actresses on the stages of the Focus Group theaters.

Àfora Edicions, together with Comanegra, also promotes the Premi Santa Eulàlia de Novel·la de Barcelona, an award that has already become one of the leading literary awards in the Catalan language. An award for an unpublished work in Catalan, which promotes creation linked to the city of Barcelona by fostering local narrative talent.

All books published by Àfora Edicions are produced and printed in Catalonia.

A connection between professionals in the theatre sector in Barcelona and Madrid.

618 are the kilometres between Barcelona and Madrid, the two theatre centres of the State. We want to take advantage of this distance to foster a closer relationship between professionals in both cities, creating a permanent circuit and channels of personal relationship, which allow for increased synergies aimed at increasing co-participation and creative and artistic exchange.

PLATEA 618 will feature meetings between artists and creators, and between managers and producers, to debate atavistic concerns and new challenges.

GRANSTEATRERUS

#gransteatrerus is the social project of the Focus Group that aims to contribute to combating unwanted loneliness among the elderly and promoting active aging through theater and culture.

#gransteatrerus encourages generational bonds between the elderly and young people with the theater as a connection and center of interest, from the perspective of spectators and users.

Born in the 2023-2024 season, #gransteatrerus has already become a stable project that takes place in the theaters of the Focus Group —Teatre Romea, Teatre Goya, Teatre Condal and La Villarroel— and the project also includes complementary activities, such as meetings with great performers on the Catalan stage.

Joining #gransteatrerus means experiencing theater like never before: sharing emotions, reflections and experiences between generations.

AUDIENCE COUNCILS

The audience councils of the Focus Group theatres —Teatre Romea, Teatre Condal and La Villarroel— are made up of spectators and active spectators who participate in the day-to-day running of our theatres, eager to contribute ideas, visions and opinions, act as ambassadors and collaborate in the dynamics of the scenic spaces.

It is the translation to our theatres of the main objective of the Audience Congress, to give a voice to the audiences and get to know their wishes up close.

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THEATRE SPECTATORS

The International Congress of Theatre Spectators, held biennially in 2022 and 2024, is the only international meeting of, by and for theatre spectators, because we believe that audiences are art and part of the theatrical event.

The International Congress of Theatre Spectators is a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the needs, concerns, and beliefs of performing arts spectators. It was created with the aim of calling on spectators to regain their leading role in the performing arts value chain and rethink their future role.

The two editions of the International Congress of Theatre Spectators brought together almost a thousand registered spectators and as a result of these congresses the Manifesto of Theatre Spectators was born, built from the ideas, desires, hopes and longings of the 50 invited international spectators, coming from 25 countries on 5 continents.