Why free art in Barcelona?

The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless. —Oscar Wilde

Art speaks to you. Good art inspires. Every civilisation has produced its own and though you don’t need a doctorate to appreciate it, a little knowledge provides insight. Whether it argues for justice, entertains, educates or even serves as propaganda, art invites you to step beyond what you know and can experience with your senses, exploring that uncharted territory of the imagination that science has not yet mapped.

Being so valuable, it is often locked away, though this is incompatible with its purpose, which is to reach out, communicate and inspire, even ignite a spiritual response. And while free art is a great idea, not all great art is free.

The idea for BCN Free Art sprang from hard times. Whether in boom or recession, art remains fundamental. So should it be free? I think so, and that’s why BCN Free Art takes you places where there is no admission fee.

This blog and the accompanying guides offer history and information on the artists and their art to help you enjoy Barcelona all the more. There isn’t much on Gaudi, Miro or Picasso—not that I don’t like them, but I prefer to focus on art that is less talked about. While all the art on this blog is free, sometimes spending a few euros will get you a better view.

Though I offer you free art, all images and text appearing on this site are original and copyright of Kevin Booth and Poble Sec Books. It is prohibited to use text or images appearing anywhere on this site without my express written permission. To be clear: you do NOT have my okay to use my original work without permission or payment. Thank you for reading Barcelona Free Art.

Barcelona Free Art 01: The Port and Barceloneta has now been fully updated. All artwork in the ebook is linked to Google maps, a cheap and easy way to see free art in Barcelona. If you would like to sign up to our mailing list, go to Poble Sec Books.