A coalition led by Barcelona's Comisiones Obreras trade union movement is fighting to preserve Pablo Picasso's former art school. Owned by the regional government, the building has designs to be turned into a Woody Allen museum.
The group claims that if the space, the Escola d'Arts i Oficis de Barcelona, were to be transformed it would only harness the city for tourism. In light of the news, the group arranged a series of workshops and artistic activities on the premises to support their campaign.
Head of the Spanish TV and film company Mediapro and close friend to Allen, Jaume Roures, said that turning the building into a museum "would be like making another film together."
In 2008, Allen's film Vicky,Cristina Barcelona starring Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem, was shot throughout the city.
Accroding to The Guardian:
"For Vicky, Cristina Barcelona, Allen persuaded the city council to part with about €1m (£720,000) and to shut down major streets for filming, to the chagrin of residents and Barcelona's cash-strapped film-makers. City authorities insist it was worth it for the publicity the film generated."
The Escola d'Arts i Oficis de Barcelona was built in 1775 but has been empty since 2009. It resides in the Gothic quarter of the city, in the Carrer Avinyó, which was immortalized in the painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.
Tussling with the conflict, the residents of the city feel the building is an item of the public and not a tourist attraction. With buildings in New York City protected under a government-wide landmark program, it's an idea that could potentially save the city's exquisite infrastructure.
While the fate of the art school looms, check out a trailer for Allen's film below.
