"This is a political rally," said Semolina Tomic, director of the Antic Teatre, at the start of the venue's annual press conference. Since June of last yearThe space is currently being expropriated to become a municipally owned venue, but Tomic has denounced a lack of "certainty" from the city council that would guarantee the project's continuity. "So far, communication with the manager of the ICUB (Barcelona Institute of Culture), Oriol Martí, has been smooth. But where is the Councilor for Culture, Xavier Marcé? We publicly regret his absence from this press conference. He should be here," the director of the Antic Teatre emphasized. Her main demand is the creation of an agreement between the company that has managed the theater since 2003—led by Tomic—and the Barcelona City Council to provide stability to the artistic project. "We need agreements to be able to continue managing the space, so that the Antic Teatre can continue, in essence, but with financial security," the director asserted, accompanied by artists and companies that will be part of this year's program.

The Antic Teatre had been demanding a solution for years, knowing that the venue's owner wanted to increase the rent by 500% when their contract expired in January 2027. Finally, Barcelona City Council took a step forward and, this Monday, its governing committee approved the funding for Calle Ver, Calle 1, Calle Pere, Calle Santa Caterina, and Calle Ribera. With an investment of €1,064,281.70, the City Council will incorporate this space as a new cultural facility under municipal ownership.