AN INITIATIVE THAT COMBATS UNWANTED LONELINESS

#gransteatrerus is a social project of the Focus Group that aims to fight against unwanted loneliness among the elderly and promote active aging through theater and culture.

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

During the 2023-2024 season, a pilot test will be carried out in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, where the Teatre Romea and the Teatre Goya of the Focus Group are located. From then on, it will become a stable project, also developing in the Teatre Condal and La Villarroel. It welcomes new couples every season and expands to the neighborhoods of Poble-sec, Gòtic, Esquerra de l’Eixample and Sant Antoni.

Goals

What are the objectives of the #gransteatrerus project?

  • Contribute to reducing unwanted loneliness
  • Promote the generalization of healthy cultural habits
  • Strengthen culture as a factor of well-being and health
  • Foster intergenerational relationships and bonds
  • Generate cultural volunteer dynamics
  • Commitment to the SDGs, in particular health and well-being, gender equality, and inequality of opportunities

News

La nit dels ignorants (3cat)

Theatre to combat loneliness

The Intertwined (Radio 4-RNE)

Article about the Grans Teatrerus project

ARA

Article about the Grans Teatrerus project

Núvol

Article about the Grans Teatrerus project

Evening News (TV3)

Report on the Grans Teatrerus project

Via 15 (Betevé)

Report on the Grans Teatrerus project (starting at 16min 55s)

Xavifòrnia (Ràdio 4-RNE)

Interview with two couples from the Grans Teatrerus initiative

The Night of the Ignorant (Catalunya Radio)

Interview with Martina Ramos and Lluís Guàrdia, one of the couples of Grans Teatrerus

Everything is comedy (Cadena SER)

Interview with Pepita Angulo, one of the participants in the Grans Teatrerus initiative

Ground Floor (TV3)

Report on Grans Teatrerus, couples of young and old people, who share a taste for theatre. We accompanied them on a night at the Romea Theatre (starting at 1h:10m:10s)

La Vanguardia

Report on the Grans Teatrerus project

Everything Moves (TV3)

Interview with Pepe Zapata, promoter of the Grans Teatrerus project, and Pepita Angulo and Nura Lufti, one of the couples of the Grans Teatrerus project (starting at 04m 35s)

El Periódico

Report on the Grans Teatrerus project

Núvol

Article about the new season of Àfora Focus, of which the Grans Teatrerus project is part

Participate!

The #grandtheatrerus

An older person and a younger person will go to the theater together. They will share the entire experience, from the moment they leave home until they return, they will watch a theater show and talk about it.

ELDERLY PEOPLE

  • Over 75 years of age in a situation and/or risk of unwanted loneliness
  • theater lovers and regular audiences
  • Who have stopped going to the theater due to lack of company, but want to share their cultural background and their experience as theater spectators
  • Attend an information session about the project
  • Be referred by a service or agent for elderly people in the neighborhoods involved

YOUTH PEOPLE

  • Between 18 and 30 years old
  • With a vocation to share time, attention and experience with elderly people
  • Interested in the performing arts and culture
  • Commitment and availability to attend the theater at least once a month throughout the 2025-2026 season
  • Commitment and availability to participate in the training capsule, the pair-building session, the project monitoring and evaluation sessions

  • What do you have to do to participate?

    • Call for the 25/26 season closed. The incorporation of new young and old will be activated from June 2026 for the 26-27 season.

Support and Collaborating Entities

comuArt

Eva García
project coordinator
Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB)
Friends of the Elderly Foundation
Radars Community Action Project
Vincles BCN
In the neighborhood of l’Esquerra de l’Eixample

CAP Borrell
CAPSBE – CAP Casanovas
CAPSBE – CAP Comte Borrell
CSS Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample
Comisió Gent Gran l’Esquerra de l’Eixample
EAP Universitat
EAP Via Roma
In the Poble-sec neighborhood

CAP Les Hortes
Community Development Plan of Poble-sec
Social Services Poble-sec
In the Raval neighborhood

Healthy Aging Driving Group of the Raval Community Health Area, made up of:
Tarradellas Municipal Senior Citizens’ Center
Trueta Municipal Senior Citizens’ Center
Raval Nord Primary Care Center (Lluis Sayé)
Raval Sud Primary Care Center (Drassanes)
Raval Nord Social Services Center
Raval Sud Social Services Center
El Day Center Millenary
Ciutat Vella District
Tot Raval Foundation
Raval Sud Neighborhood Plan
Support and Prevention of Loneliness Project (PAPS)
In the Sant Antoni neighborhood

EAP Sant Antoni
EAP Universitat
Espai Social Borrell
Social Services Sant Antoni neighborhood
Taula Communiària Sant Antoni
In the Gothic neighborhood

FIBS Llar La Mercè
Centre de Serviços Socials Gòtic
Comunitat de Sant Egidio
Casal Municipal de Gent Gran Pati Llimona

 

Contact

Eva Garcia – Project Coordinator
Marcel Clement and Maria Garcia: Representatives and cultural links of the Focus Group

gransteatrerus@grupfocus.cat