Daniel Martínez receives the Gold Medal for Cultural Merit

BarcelonaDaniel Martínez, the founder of the Focus Group, received the Gold Medal for Cultural Merit from the Barcelona City Council on Monday. At a ceremony held in the Saló de Cent, the city's mayor, Jaume Collboni, described Martínez as "a determined and visionary businessman with extraordinary leadership skills." Also in attendance were the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández Almodóvar; the Secretary of State for Culture, Jordi Martí; and the Councilor for Culture and Creative Industries, Xavier Marcé. Accompanied by his family and various figures from the world of theater, Martínez expressed his gratitude for the medal and the words dedicated to him by actor and director Josep Maria Pou in his eulogy. According to Collboni, "the name of Daniel Martínez is now forever linked to the contemporary history of Catalan and Barcelonan culture." "Today, Barcelona's public and private theaters are a winning combination. A cultural partnership that has brought more than three million theatergoers to the city annually. And that's thanks to a powerful business sector, capable of investing and taking risks, always keeping the audience's desires in mind. This has been the vision and purpose of the Focus Group."

Born in Soria in 1948, Daniel Martínez founded the Focus Group in 1986. In these forty years, it has established itself as one of the country's leading theater producers, and currently manages four theaters in Barcelona: the Romea, the Condal, the Goya, and La Villarroel. And in 2028 it plans to open an integrated center for theatrical production and exhibition in Poblenou, which will accommodate up to 600 students at the higher school of performing arts (artists, technicians, and managers) and up to 500 spectators at the new Genesis Theatre.

Aside from his work at Focus, in 1998 Martínez was appointed president of ADETCA (Association of Theatre Companies of Catalonia) and in 2005 of FAETEDA (State Federation of Associations of Theatre and Dance Companies). He is also a member of the Barcelona Culture Council and the Catalan Institute of Cultural Industries, and secretary of the Círculo de Cultura (Cultural Circle). His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Creu de Sant Jordi (2013), the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts (2021), and two Max Awards for best theatre producer (2002 and 2006).