Madrid, March 26, 2020

Dear members,el Círculo de Bellas Artes:

I hope you are all in good health and spirits during this difficult period of confinement in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two weeks after closing our facilities to the public, I am writing first to thank you for the numerous expressions of support we have received from many of you, both on social media and in response to the letter I sent you on March 12th. I have passed on your words of affection and encouragement to the staff.el Círculo The Fine Arts department, which continues to work intensively these days to deliver our content virtually to the general public, and especially to you, the members of this institution, is also writing to share with you some of the measures we have taken in recent days, as well as others that will be implemented soon.

As you may have noticed, the website del Círculo de Bellas Artes (www.circulobellasartes.com) has undergone a significant transformation, making a wealth of content available to users in video, audio, photographic, and publication formats. We have also launched pioneering initiatives, such as the online celebration of "Mondays at Círculo“,” or the 3D virtual tour of the three exhibitions we are currently hosting (by August Sander, Antonio Saura, and Alfonso Berridi). We have, in fact, organized a virtual opening for the latter, which will take place this afternoon. Finally, we have increased the dissemination of content through all our social media channels and radio stations. Círculo.

In addition to these initiatives, which are open to the public, we will soon be providing audiovisual content (for example, recordings of our concerts) exclusively for you, our members. You will also receive some publications digitally as a first look (such as the magazine "Minerva"). Furthermore, we are working to create a virtual meeting point on the website to facilitate your activities and the sharing and publication of your work. This space, reserved for you on the website, will feature content in the following areas: poetry, visual arts, billiards, and chess.

Once again, I thank you, especially during these difficult times for everyone, in which for el Círculo de Bellas Artes It is crucial to have the support of our partners. Thanks to you, the Círculo It will continue working, for as long as this exceptional situation lasts, to fulfill its most important purpose: to promote the arts, culture and thought, generating spaces for reflection, criticism and dialogue open to all of society.

A cordial greeting,

Juan Miguel Hernández León

President Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid