News
The Museum of Forbidden Art closes
After months of strike and falling income, the center is leaving Casa Garriga Nogués and is committed to moving the collection to different cities around the world.
The Museum of Forbidden Art is closing its doors. The facility located in the Casa Garriga Nogués in Barcelona is ending its activity indefinitely after months marked by a labor protest that has had a strong impact on attendance and the economic viability of the project. According to sources at the museum, the mobilizations and visible actions in front of the building have caused visits to plummet and, with them, income, causing an unsustainable situation for the center's operations.
The strike began after the museum terminated its contract with one of its subcontractors, Magmacultura, in January, which managed part of its customer service staff. The measure affected seven workers, who were temporarily relocated to other cultural spaces. However, the protest continued, led by the SUT union and supported by workers from two other subcontractors who also worked at the museum. The workers' complaints focused on working conditions they considered precarious, such as long standing hours, difficulties in taking advantage of established rest periods, lack of adequate air conditioning, and the desire to be incorporated as the museum's own staff.
According to the museum's organization, the continued presence of protests in front of the doors ended up seriously affecting the number of visitors. The economic balance speaks for itself: a 75% drop in income compared to the previous year, and a 95% drop in growth forecasts. The union, for its part, has criticized what it considers a contradictory attitude of the museum, which presents itself as a space in defense of freedom of expression while frontally rejecting labor demands, and has stated that many visitors decided not to access the site once they learned of the open conflict.
The Museum of Prohibited Art, promoted by journalist and entrepreneur Tatxo Benet, is leaving its physical headquarters for now, but is not giving up on the project. The intention is to become a traveling collection, with temporary exhibitions and international collaborations, to continue being active and become a space for reflection on censorship.
