Lost in thought, an artist stares at the Casa de Velázquez. This institution fosters cooperation and exchange on artistic and academic levels. Founded in 1920, the Casa de Velázquez opened its Madrid headquarters in 1928. It resides within the Ciudad Universitaria.
But, it faced destruction during the Battle of Madrid in 1936. The building reopened in its current form in May 1959. Today, it operates under the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. It also belongs to the network of French Schools Abroad.
Since its inception, the Casa de Velázquez has championed both contemporary art and scientific research. Its dual mission unfolds through two main bodies. These are the Académie de France in Madrid and the École des hautes études hispaniques et ibériques.
The Académie de France in Madrid supports artists across disciplines. Think architecture, visual arts, cinema, and music. It serves as a space for creation, research, and community. Here, emerging and established artists refine their craft and explore new paths. The AFM manages Casa de Velázquez’s artistic programs. It collaborates with local and international partners.
The École des hautes études hispaniques et ibériques focuses on human and social sciences. It serves as a training center for young researchers. It also functions as a French research center. Its scientific focus spans the Iberian Peninsula. It also includes the Maghreb and the Atlantic region. It organizes around twenty multi-year research projects. Also, it handles a dozen archaeological endeavors. Since 2016, it has coordinated the Madrid Institute for Advanced Study alongside the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
In total, Casa de Velázquez hosts about one hundred artists and researchers yearly. It offers residencies from a few months up to a year. To showcase their work, the institution organizes public activities. These include exhibitions, screenings, concerts, meetings, and symposiums.
The library boasts approximately 150000 books and over 1800 journals. It is open to researchers from master’s level and above. Registration is free. Casa de Velázquez also runs a publishing service. It releases around fifteen books annually, both in print and digitally. Many are available open access. The institution also publishes the biannual journal, Mélanges de la Casa de Velázquez.
King Alfonso XIII chose the land for Casa de Velázquez. It happened in what became the Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid. The land was transferred to France in 1920. It stipulated the construction of a residence for young artists and researchers. The palace took its name from Diego Velázquez. He was a popular painter among scholars in the 1920s.
Now, surrounded by French gardens, the Casa de Velázquez offers stunning views. It extends towards the Sierra de Guadarrama and breathtaking sunsets.