Ministry of Culture (Spain)

Ministry of Culture
Ministerio de Cultura

The headquarters of the Ministry
Agency overview
FormedJuly 5, 1977; 47 years ago (1977-07-05)
(as Ministry of Culture and Welfare)
Preceding agencies
TypeMinistry
JurisdictionGovernment of Spain
HeadquartersCasa de las Siete Chimeneas, 1 Plaza del Rey, Madrid
Annual budget 1.7 billion, 2023[1]
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Jordi Martí Grau, Secretary of State for Culture
  • María del Carmen Paez Soria, Under-Secretary
Child agencies
WebsiteMinistry of Culture and Sport

The Ministry of Culture (MC) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for the promotion, protection and dissemination of the Spanish historical heritage, national museums, art, books, reading and literary creation, of cinematographic and audiovisual activities and of national archives and libraries.[2]

It is also responsible for the promotion and dissemination of culture in Spanish, as well as the promotion of cultural cooperation and, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, of international relations in the field of culture.[2]

The MCD is headed by the Culture Minister, a Cabinet member who is appointed by the Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister. The minister is assisted by a Secretary of State and an Under-Secretary. The current minister of Culture is, since 21 November 2023, Ernest Urtasun.[3]

  1. ^ "2023 State Budget" (PDF). www.boe.es. 1 January 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on Jan 6, 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Royal Decree 323/2024, of March 26, which develops the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Culture". www.boe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  3. ^ RTVE.es (2023-11-20). "Ernest Urtasun, nuevo ministro de Cultura: el eurodiputado ecologista y antitaurino con trayectoria política en Cataluña". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-27.