Museo Picasso Málaga’s commitment to backing cultural policies that benefit social inclusion has been an important feature and during the 2018 financial year it increased its work, leading it to almost double the number of people who took part in activities specially designed for groups at risk of social vulnerability, such as the physically, psychologically or intellectually diverse, the migrant population, and the elderly.

In its 15th-anniversary year, it is clear that this further increase in MPM’s annual visitor numbers is the result of fifteen years of support for cultural diversity, with the aim of promoting the life and work of Pablo Picasso and the art linked to him, and providing information in ten different languages.

General interest in Picasso’s life and work, the high standard of the museum’s exhibition programme, the appeal of its diverse cultural offerings and the quality of its educational programme are all features that, along with the increase in visitors to the city of Málaga, have brought the museum’s name to public attention and had an impact on the constant annual increase in visitor numbers. Over the last twelve months, a total of 674,512 people of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world, have visited the gallery. This is a 6,07% increase on 2017 visitor numbers. Along with their interest in seeing Picasso’s work in the MPM’s permanent collection, many of these visitors saw the three temporary exhibitions that were held in 2018: And Fellini dreamed of Picasso, which can be seen at La cinémathèque française in Paris this year; Warhol. Mechanical Art, which was produced by Museo Picasso Málaga and which also went to CaixaForum in Barcelona and Madrid, totalling 596,225 visitors at the three venues; and Picasso’s South. Andalusian References, an exhibition produced as part of the international Picasso-Méditerranée Project, led by Musée national Picasso-Paris and sponsored by Fundación Unicaja, and which can still be seen until 3rd February.

In putting together its exhibition programme, Museo Picasso Málaga worked closely alongside other museums, foundations, galleries and private collections around the world such as Fundación Almine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso (FABA); the Andy Warhol Museum, Centre Pompidou, Comune di Rimini, Fondation Beyeler, Kunstmuseum Basel, La cinémathèque française - Musée du Cinéma, Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Musée national Picasso–Paris, Musée Picasso Antibes, Museum of Modern Art, Tate, Museu Picasso Barcelona, and in particular, with the regional museum network run by the Junta de Andalucía’s Office for Culture.

Education, culture and commitment

The aims of Museo Picasso Málaga include the promotion and support of art practice, research and teaching; heritage conservation and art studies; the support, through art, of intercultural dialogue and understanding; contributing to the social development of culture; and fostering a respect for cultural heritage. Its educational work therefore plays a key role. Last year, a total of 32,652 people took part in its activities, 16,499 of whom were schoolchildren and 4,206 were participants in the accessibility project that the museum runs with Obra Social “la Caixa”. In 2018, Museo Picasso Málaga’s commitment to social inclusion saw an increase in its work that enabled it to almost double the number of participants in activities that were specially designed for people with functional diversity and members of social groups at risk of vulnerability. The 2018 educational programme saw cooperation from La Noria-Fuente de innovación social; Universidad de Málaga; the educational department of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh; Escuela de Arte de San Telmo; and Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, amongst others, as well as several NGOs.

As for cultural activities, a total of 6,282 people attended lectures, seminars, screenings, talks, round tables, chamber music, jazz and flamenco concerts, poetry readings and films. Collaborators on the museum’s cultural programme included Centro Andaluz de las Letras; Festival de Málaga. Cine Español; Fundación SGAE; Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer (IAM); and Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, amongst others. As from September, the Museum’s activities also focused on celebrating its 15th anniversary, with a busy calendar of projects and events.

Visitors and patrons

Malagueños and travellers from around the world came to the museum to enjoy the work of Picasso, the exhibition programme, and a busy and varied calendar of cultural and educational events and activities. In 2018 foreign visitors to MMP made up 74% of the numbers, with the United Kingdom, Germany and France as the main countries of origin. Spanish visitors made up 26% of the total, with Andalusia in the lead, followed by Madrid and Catalonia. The museum provides audio guides for its visitors in ten languages (Spanish, English, German, Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian), and the entire programme can be seen on its webpage in Spanish and English along with information in German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Arabic.

Once again, Museo Picasso Málaga is deeply grateful to its patron Radio Televisión de Andalucía, and its patron sponsors Vocento, Grupo Joly and Fundación Aena for their support. Sponsorship in 2018 also came from Fundación Endesa with the lighting for Picasso’s works, and from Caixabank and Fundación Unicaja who sponsored exhibitions. Since the museum opened fifteen years ago, its commitment to art and culture have led it to run an artistic programme that has been the seedbed for the cultural transformation that the city of Málaga has undergone during this time.

Museo Picasso Málaga would also like to thank the citizens of Málaga for their support. Over the past fifteen years, this support and enthusiasm have been essential to the consolidation of a major museum project devoted to Pablo Picasso: the Malagueño who changed the history of art.