The new director of Museus de Sitges underlines the commitment to creation, experimentation and dialogue at the service of the community

This Tuesday, the Gothic room and the viewing platform of the Maricel Museum hosted the presentation of the new managing director of the Consorci del Patrimoni de Sitges, Txema Romero. The event was attended by Aurora Carbonell, vice-president of the Consorci and mayor of Sitges, as well as Pau González, president of the Consorci and delegate of the Culture Department of the Barcelona Provincial Council, in addition to several representatives of the cultural and social sector of the town and media from the area.
The mayor of Sitges and vice-president of the Consortium, Aurora Carbonell, opened the event by welcoming Txema Romero and expressing the firm commitment of the municipality to museums: “Sitges is a cultural capital and its museums are a benchmark for the country and also an international reference. The museums of Sitges are one of the great assets of the town, and we work to ensure that they continue to be a key piece in the cultural, educational and social life of our community.”
Carbonell also stressed the importance of collaboration between institutions and the local cultural fabric to ensure the international projection of museums, and thanked Mercè Munné for her work as acting managing director over the last three years, as well as the dedication of the entire Consorci team to maintain a high level of quality in the activities and projects they promote.
For his part, the president of the Consorci, Pau González, highlighted the importance of the moment: “I am very pleased to be able to celebrate the presentation of a definitive direction for the Consorci, an objective that had been delayed for too long.” González highlighted the symbolic coincidence with the anniversary of the birth of Santiago Rusiñol and highlighted the rigorous selection process that led to the appointment of Txema Romero: “his project was the best valued by the expert advisors, for its technical quality and for its commitment to turning the museums of Sitges into a leader.”
The president of the Consorci also recalled the 30-year history of the organisation, stressed the fundamental role of the Barcelona Provincial Council and Sitges City Council in the consolidation and sustainability of the town's museums, and provided relevant data on the impact of the Consorci: a budget of more than 4.5 million euros, 12,000 square metres of surface area, more than 2 million visitors in the last 30 years. "Today marks the beginning of a new era. We have a reinforced Consorci, a great team and a powerful management team. We are committed to facing new challenges to consolidate Sitges as a cultural benchmark."
In his speech, the new managing director, Txema Romero, expressed his emotion and responsibility in assuming this position, recognising the people who have preceded him and highlighting the uniqueness of the Sitges Museums in the country's heritage panorama. "It is a privilege to contribute to keeping this museum alive, and an enormous responsibility."
Romero has highlighted his professional career, developed mainly in the Vallès, where he has directed the Cerdanyola Art Museum since 2011 and has participated in various professional networks such as the Xarxa de Museus d’Art de Catalunya and the Junta de Museus. In addition, he has been a teacher in the field of museology, helping to train new generations of professionals in the sector.
The new director has stressed the concept of a social museum, placing people at the centre of the project, and has outlined the main lines of action for this new stage: "we want an accessible, inclusive and networked museum, which combines respect for its collection with a contemporary and open view of the community." He has stressed the importance of continuing to promote the Cau Ferrat as a "laboratory of the arts", where various disciplines converge, from the visual and performing arts to education and well-being. This arts laboratory is conceived as a space for confluence and co-creation, in which different artistic disciplines are related to aspects such as health, critical thinking and technological innovation. “The Cau Ferrat was already a space ahead of its time, where borders between the arts were broken and interdisciplinary dialogue was encouraged. This philosophy is more relevant than ever.”
He also referred to the new definition of a museum approved by ICOM in Prague in 2022, highlighting that “a museum is a non-profit institution, permanent and at the service of society, which researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, they promote diversity and sustainability, with the participation of communities.”
Romero wanted to highlight a significant coincidence: the day of its presentation coincides with the 164th anniversary of the birth of Santiago Rusiñol. “He came to Sitges looking for landscapes and