Ciutadans per una cultura democràtica i participativa is a non-profit making Association aimed at promoting a dialogue between culture and citizenship through the realisation of specific acts. The association has a special interest in the creation of a discourse that is firm in its intentions and flexible in its practice, a discourse in which dialogue and the diffusion of the resulting content are perfectly blended.

Ciutadans per una cultura democràtica i participativa came into being through a spontaneous platform known as ExAmics de l’IVAM (formed as a result of the closure of the Valencia Modern Art Museum installations in the historic centre of Valencia), which has been joined by representatives of other existing associations (Amics del Carme, Salvem El Cabanyal, 1+1, Guerra Mítica, Salvem l’Horta, etc.), with the intention of covering a broad spectrum that not only includes contemporary art and culture, but also urban development, city planning, historic and ecological heritage and social politics. The platform’s first action took place in March 2002, with the motive of the inauguration of an exhibition of work by Markus Lupertz exhibition, which was to be the last exhibition to take place in the above-mentioned former contemporary art museum.

Now, with the motive of the 2nd edition of the Valencia Biennial (to be held between 8th June and 30th September under the slogan of “La ciudad ideal” (The ideal city)) - and given that a) the event has been organised without taking into consideration the problems currently affecting the city, b) it is to take place in such significant civic spaces such as “Ciutat Vella” (The historic centre of Valencia) and the recently closed “Centre del Carme” and c) it has been created with a vision that, in our opinion, is based exclusively on aesthetic values -, the Association “Ciutadans per una cultura democràtica i participativa” has decided to co-ordinate and organise a series of activities and initiatives in under the slogan “Realitats de la ciutat” (The realities of the city).

As a counterpoint to the complacent discourse of the Biennial, it is our aim to promote a rigorous, critical debate centred on various of the conflicts that have been caused by the friction between regional politics, citizen participation and contemporary culture. In contrast to the authoritarian character of the official event, we wish to introduce other cultural and artistic proposals conceived from a perspective of participation and in closed connection with existing problems facing the city’s inhabitants, such as the case of the “Cabanyal Portes Obertes” initiative, as well as other events such as the exhibition that is currently being prepared about the historic El Carmen neighbourhood by the students of the Arts and Trades College and that of the Fines Arts Faculty about the neighbourhood of Ruzafa.