- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
El Círculo invites you to its birthday
9 May '26
Organized by el Círculo de Bellas Artes
With the collaboration of Ephimera, Grupo Azotea, Antonio Machado Grupo de Distribución, Ultramarina, Pentación Espectáculos and UNIUM
Visit our campus in Madrid
Hours from 11 a.m. to 22 p.m.
Entry to the space and all activities is free of charge.
Due to weather conditions, all activities planned for the street will be moved inside the building.
El Círculo opens its doors and invites you to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
El Círculo de Bellas Artes It celebrates the centenary of its building by opening every corner to the city. A day to experience it in a different way: not just as a place to visit, but as a space that is activated, transformed, and shared.
Throughout the day, the building is filled with interventions and proposals that traverse its spaces: performances that transform architecture into a sound body, actions that invite you to inhabit its stairs in a different way, open conversations on the rooftop, poetry, music, film and encounters where the word circulates and is shared.
A celebration that brings back el Círculo as a living place, where artistic practices, thought and experience coexist, and where the building ceases to be just a stage to become an active part of what happens.
El Círculo turns 100.
And he celebrates it in a big way, turning the building into a party.
For the whole day, el Círculo It opens as a meeting place for everyone. You can explore places that are not normally accessible, participate in street activities, attend debates, enjoy performances, or simply let yourself be carried away by what is happening in every corner.
There will be proposals for different rhythms: from sound interventions and performances to collective rest spaces, open workshops, participatory actions or a street festival that will take over the street to imagine other forms of city.
As night falls, the building projects outwards: the facade becomes a stage and the celebration opens up to the city in a collective closing.
A day to celebrate what has been el Círculo During these hundred years, and above all, to imagine what it can continue to be. Come and explore it, stay, and raise a glass.
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
- El Círculo turns 100 •
Activities
Creative fair. Activities for children and adults
Throughout the day, we host creative activities to celebrate the centenary birthday ofel CírculoA fair for all ages where you can create greetings and songs; print posters and postcards; build a cardboard city and celebrate the building's 100th anniversary.
Place: 5st floor
11:30 h - 12:15 h
Café cantante: Spain America. Concert
An intimate and evocative show that intertwines music and poetry to pay homage to immortal voices such as Imperio Argentina, Amália Rodrigues, Chabuca Granda, María Dolores Pradera, and Libertad Lamarque. At La Pecera del Círculo de Bellas ArtesTransformed into a café cantante, the voice of Candelaria de la Serena and the guitar of Juan Hernando trace a sonic journey between the Peninsula and America, exploring tangos, fados and folklores in a delicate dialogue of return.
Conference room: Fishbowl
11:30 and 13:00
Alexia Oracular. Performance
Américo Retamal, alumnus of the Escuela SUR[Name of artist] presents a multimedia performance that explores the relationships between technology, spirituality, and spectacle. Through a language akin to pop and digital art, the piece is built around an avatar that comes to life on stage through the use of real-time filters and streaming devices, generating an immersive experience. Between techno-mysticism and cultural critique, their work addresses contemporary tensions such as hyperconnectivity, the algorithmic mediation of desire, and current forms of identity in digital environments.
Conference room: Dance room
11:30 and 17:00
Instructions for climbing a staircase. Performance
Who hasn't descended the iconic staircase at some point?el Círculo as if it were a scene from a movie? This time, we propose to explore it in reverse, guided by Blanca Sotos and Jonás de Murias, and following the famous Instructions for climbing a staircase by Julio Cortázar. An invitation to rediscover this everyday space from the perspective of play, literature, and imagination, transforming a gesture as simple as climbing a staircase into a shared and meaningful experience.
Conference room: main staircase
12 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Norman McLaren. Continuous Session. Filmmaking
El Cine Estudio will offer a Continuous and free session open to families and children as well as any spectator, with a selection of short films by the great Canadian animator Norman McLaren.
Conference room: Cine Estudio
12 to 13h
What kind of Europe are we talking about? Debate
On May 9, Europe Day, we inaugurated Imagining Europe through cultureA series of debates on the role of culture in contemporary Europe. This session features a conversation between Lorenzo Silva and Montserrat Domínguez about the narratives that shape Europe, its tensions and challenges, on a rooftop terrace over vermouth. In a context of transformation, the series invites us to consider Europe through its imaginaries, creative practices, and contradictions.
Conference room: Rooftop
12 to 19h
Signings at the Antonio Machado bookstore Book signing
The Antonio Machado bookstore, an inseparable companion ofel Círculo For a long time now, it has joined in the centenary celebrations and is also celebrating its 25th anniversary by organizing book signings with leading contemporary authors. In the morning, Lorenzo Silva, Rafael Reig, and Benjamín Prado will be signing books, and in the afternoon, Juan Gómez Bárcena, Rosa Montero, and Alfonso J. Ussía.
Space: Antonio Machado Bookstore
12 and 16 a.m.
Of forging and air. Performance
Action created for Minerva's owlSilbatriz Pons will move through the building, using whistling to activate and inhabit it. Born from breath, the sound permeates the spaces, transforming them into a resonating chamber and expanding across walls, ceilings, and floors. A subtle intervention that transforms the everyday into a sensory experience before fading away.
Conference room: Main staircase, Ballroom and Fernando de Rojas Theatre
12 to 14h
16: 30 to 18h
Speakers' Corner
One of the most open and participatory formats of the Festival of Ideas arrives at the Ballroom with a speakers' corner which invites everyone to speak up and share collective concerns. As a prelude to the festival, we propose a day focused on loneliness, which will begin at 12:00 with an introduction by Marta García Aller, in collaboration with Grandes Amigos. In the afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, the space will remain active and dynamic, encouraging audience participation.
Conference room: Dance room
12 to 14h
18 a.m. to 20:30 p.m.
The ring. Battles of ideas, music and dance
We propose a space for debate and creation where confrontation is understood as a driving force for thought and community. Throughout the day, there will be "battles" of ideas, urban dance, and freestyle, in which different participants will confront viewpoints on culture, politics, and society, alongside rap battles and breakdancing exhibitions. A dynamic and participatory day where dialogue, debate, and talent come together with a common goal: to give our best and celebrate thought in action.
Conference room: Columns
12:45 h - 13:15 h
Poetry table. Three sides
The Fishbowl hosts a poetic activation linked to Side Creatures, the anthology published in collaboration with the Biodiversity Foundation that brings together voices from RoundtableFor a few minutes, poetry will take over the space as a form of shared celebration, making it resonate el Círculo From one of their most everyday places. Participants include Juan Gallego Benot, Sanae el Mokadimm, and Rodrigo García Marina.
Conference room: Fishbowl
15 to 16h
Group siesta with Las Lindas Pobres
To offer a much-needed break from the day, the Ballroom will be transformed into a siesta rink filled with mats where you can relax and immerse yourself in a stream of soundscapes, with a session of ambient by hand The Beautiful Poor Ones which will flood the unique architecture with an immersive musical experience.
Conference room: Dance room
18 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
The building next door: the Swedish House next to the House of Arts. Debate
Within the framework of the centenary del CírculoThis presentation offers a perspective on the building through the lens of the Swedish House, its immediate neighbor. A journey through its history, architecture, and context invites us to rediscover the memory of this site and its connection to Madrid in the 1950s.
Location: Hotel NH Collection Sweden
21 hrs
El CírculoTotal scenarioEnd of the party
The building's one hundredth birthdayel Círculo de Bellas Artes The evening will culminate in a unique performance on its main facade. One of Madrid's most iconic buildings will share its troubled history, blending popular and classical music, reflecting the hybrid spirit of the city. CírculoA space for cultural creation and representation for 100 years, capable of hosting all kinds of events while still meeting the needs of its members and its city.
Location: Alcalá Street No. 42
Another way of looking
Get to know us el Círculo
An opportunity to discover the building from the inside: explore its floors, peek into less-traveled corners, and get a close look at some of the places that are part of its everyday history but aren't always open to the public. Throughout the tour, guides will be present at various points to share anecdotes, interesting facts, and insights that will allow you to see things more clearly. el Círculo with other eyes
11 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Fernando de Rojas Theater
The Fernando de Rojas Theatre transforms into an open-air stage where the public can participate freely and spontaneously. Throughout the day, short activities will be offered that encourage interaction, experimentation, and overcoming stage fright in a relaxed environment designed for exploring words, voice, and gesture.
Place: 2st floor
11 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Ballroom: a space to relax
The Ballroom will function as a public lounge area, conceived as a place of rest in line with the idea of a climate refuge. Throughout the day it will host various activities and will also feature a speakers' corner of the festival. A meeting point to stop, listen and inhabit the building calmly.
Place: 2st floor
11 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Workshops in engraving, drawing and painting
The workshops are exceptionally open to showcase their regular use. During working hours, members will be demonstrating their practices live, allowing visitors to observe the creative processes and, in some cases, converse with those who work there. Activity hours: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Place: 6th floor
11 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Billiards Room
The billiards room, usually reserved for members, is open to the public as part of this event. A unique space within the building that can be explored freely, offering a glimpse into one of the rooms that are part of the daily life of the club.el Círculo. Activity schedule: 11:30–13:30 and 17–19h.
Place: 4st floor
11 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.
Presidential and management offices
Exceptionally, the president's and director's offices will be open to the public. These spaces, not normally accessible, also house some works from the collection.el Círculooffering a rare opportunity to explore this part of the building.
Place: 3st floor
Free and open to the public
Exhibitions
Throughout the day, the exhibitions del Círculo They will remain open continuously so you can discover the history, processes, and ideas that inhabit this building. In addition, we will offer guided tours and special visits that will allow you to delve deeper into its spaces and the stories that run through them.
11 to 21h
The House of Arts. Open since 1926 - Exposure
Start at the beginning and explore the history of the building del Círculo de Bellas ArtesDiscover original plans, photos and documents that reveal how Antonio Palacios shaped one of the great icons of the Gran Vía, which has been alive for a hundred years.
Place: Goya Room
11 to 21h
Hatching. The Círculo de Bellas Artes in the 80s and 90s - Exposure
It starts in the 80s to explore one of the most transformative moments in history.el CírculoA period marked by openness, experimentation and intense cultural activity that redefined the building as a living space, connected with the artistic practices and debates of its time.
Place: Picasso Room
11 to 21h
Minerva's owl - Exposure
It is presented as a journey that crosses el Círculo From different artistic practices and forms of intervention. Through actions, presences and gestures, the building is activated as a space in use, opening questions about its current role and the ways of inhabiting a cultural institution today.
Place: Minerva Hall and building
12 hrs
Minerva and the house she lives in - Route
A journey through the footsteps of Minerva in el CírculoIts presence in the building, its symbolic weight, and the stories that link it to the institution's identity. An invitation to discover unexpected connections and to read the space through its myths, details, and hidden resonances.
Meeting Point : Hall
11 to 21h
Hotbed - Exposure
Hotbed This is a group exhibition by students of the 2025/2026 Fundamental Course in Arts and Artistic Professions at SUR, the result of seven months of multidisciplinary work, exploration, and practice. The exhibition brings together individual processes, intuitions, and narratives, shaping a shared territory interwoven with memory, identity, and transformation.
Place: Juana Mordó Room
11 to 21h
What was already there. Streaming 1985–87 - Live Archive
Start by watching: a selection of videos from the 80s from the Archive del CírculoInterviews, workshops, and experiments that were already testing new ways of creating and sharing culture. A "streaming" before streaming, on continuous playback.
Place: Dance room
Live Archive
Time capsule
We've created a website so you can share your memories.el Círculo and become part of a living archive that continues to grow with each story. A space to collect everything this building has been—and continues to be—through those who inhabit it: concerts, gatherings, exhibitions, everyday or special moments that have left their mark.