Our commitments
Since it was founded at a time when knowledge, art and culture needed to be vigorously defended, Casa de Velázquez has been part of a resolutely humanist project. It aims to be a space where critical thinking, diversity of approach and intellectual and creative freedom are both preserved and fully encouraged.
True to this vocation, the institution is committed to developing its practices while taking into account their social and environmental impact. This attention permeates both its internal reflections and the projects it designs, hosts and supports. At the crossroads of scientific research and artistic creation, Casa de Velázquez relies on experimentation, openness and conscious approaches, engaging its community in a more responsible way of working, attentive to contemporary issues.
Our eco-responsible approach
Concerned about its environmental impact, Casa de Velázquez has for several years been developing an eco-responsible approach based on the application of concrete actions. This attention is reflected in waste management, reduced energy and water consumption, digital restraint,rational landscaping of outdoor areas and the integration ofenvironmental requirements into the use of external services.
Membership of the Club Développement Durable des Établissements Publics et des Entreprises Publiques in 2022, and the adoption of its charter, marked an important step forward, making the company part of a network of committed players and supporting the evolution of its practices.
La Casa also works to raise awareness among its staff, artists and researchers. Reciprocally, projects developed in residency, when they address environmental issues, feed into the institution's reflection on its own operations. This dynamic is based on listening, adjustment and the desire to make practices evolve positively, with a view to continuous improvement.
Our local roots
Casa de Velázquez has been firmly rooted in Spain ever since it was founded. The palace that houses it, built by France on land ceded by Spain, was one of the first buildings to be erected in what is now Madrid's Cité Universitaire. It harbors a shared memory between the two countries: the scene of battles during the Civil War, a refuge during the dictatorship, the cradle of cultural and intellectual exchanges for almost a century..
By preserving this unique link and bringing it up to date in its activities, it affirms that Franco-Spanish cooperation, beyond its history, is one of its daily responsibilities and a central pillar of its action. Its events, partnerships and residency and research programs nurture an ecosystem of international researchers, artists and professionals who work closely with players in Madrid and Spain. Casa de Velázquez takes full advantage of its presence in Spain to play an active part in the local artistic and scientific life, and to give substance to a community enriched by this dual belonging.
Our openness to the world
Every year, the artistic and scientific sections open their doors to residents from all over the world, regardless of nationality. This diversity gives rise to a vibrant community, encouraging the circulation of knowledge and practices.
Buoyed by its residents, its contact with alumni and its multiple collaborations based on several continents, Casa de Velázquez aims to be a platform for production and dissemination whose horizons go beyond the bilateral scale.
This dimension has been reinforced by the creation of the Institut d'Études Avancées (MIAS), which places the internationalization of research at the heart of its missions. The researchers who come to Casa de Velázquez as part of MIAS activities come from a wide range of backgrounds, further embedding the institution in global scientific dynamics.
This openness is also underpinned by close cooperation with the four other French schools abroad, as well as with France's major international art residencies, from Rome to Kyoto and as far afield as the United States.
Supporting our residents
Supporting artists, researchers and scholarship holders in residence at Casa de Velázquez is at the heart of our mission. A multidisciplinary team of some forty people works alongside them on a daily basis, providing personalized support and carrying out projects to promote their work. To this end, the institution makes available its spaces, tools, skills and network, as well as a range of mechanisms designed to reinforce the autonomy, visibility and recognition of its members' work.
This commitment extends beyond the residency period, thanks to various types of grants and post-residency support. It is also reflected in the particular attention paid to the diversity of profiles, disciplines and approaches, guaranteed in particular by the plural composition of its admissions and recruitment committees. The institution builds a community where each resident finds the means to develop his or her research or creation within a caring and structuring framework.
