Freedonia, a non-profit music and cultural association on Carrer Lleialtat in El Raval, continues to programme live music every weekend for audiences of up to 100 people. For local concertgoers and emerging musicians, it remains a small-stage option as venues close and new live-music spaces become harder to open, founder Coque Sánchez told Ara.

Sánchez said the association has nearly 10,000 active members. It was founded in 2005 by four Barcelona flatmates and opened its own premises in El Raval in 2009.

“Venues are closing and no new ones are opening. Thirty years ago there were around 400 live-music licences in the metropolitan area and now there are 160.”

Sánchez said most of the remaining licences are in the city centre, leaving neighbourhoods with fewer places for live performance.

Small rooms as a route for emerging artists

Freedonia was set up to share theatre, music, art and other cultural activity outside the commercial model of bars and nightclubs, Sánchez said. He named Sala Meteoro, Diobar and Gràcia venue Heliogàbal among Barcelona’s other active underground music spaces.

  • 2005: four friends founded the Freedonia association in Barcelona.
  • 2009: the group opened its venue on Carrer Lleialtat in El Raval.
  • Today: the venue holds around 100 people and programmes concerts each weekend.

Sánchez said small venues are the main route for new musicians and bands at a time when record sales are limited. He criticised contracts under which major festivals may require a group not to perform in the same city for several months before or after the festival booking.

“I want there to be spaces where people can discover this music, and my aim is to programme even more concerts.”

During the pandemic restrictions, Sánchez said Freedonia operated at a loss when it could admit only 20 people. The venue raised €8,000 through crowdfunding before public support arrived, he said.

Freedonia’s current programme is held at its Carrer Lleialtat premises in El Raval, with live music scheduled at weekends.

Reported by Ara Cat, iqmagazine.com, timewarnerent.com.