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Cultural Association in Torrelaguna Denounces Lack of Support from Culture Department

The organization, with nearly 40 years of history, expresses its "disagreement" with municipal management after a series of clashes over the allocation of spaces and schedules for rehearsals and perf…

Generic image of theater scripts on a table, with blurred stage lights in the background.
IA

Generic image of theater scripts on a table, with blurred stage lights in the background.

A cultural association in Torrelaguna, with almost four decades of activity, has publicly expressed its "disagreement" with the management of the Culture Department, after facing difficulties in the allocation of spaces and schedules for its rehearsals and theatrical performances.

The XEXIL BODY MILK Cultural Association (XBM) of Torrelaguna, which will celebrate 40 years of uninterrupted activity in 2027, has voiced its discontent with the local Culture Department. The entity, known for its annual theatrical performances, has detailed a series of incidents that occurred throughout 2026 which, they claim, have hindered their work.
The issues began in December 2025, when the association submitted its annual project for 2026 without receiving confirmation of receipt. Subsequently, in January 2026, they requested the use of a classroom in the Casa de la Cultura to rehearse their spring play, as their usual venue, provided by the City Council, is not viable in winter due to heating problems. The initial response, via WhatsApp, offered limited availability, which contrasted with information from an official about available classrooms.
After several requests and contradictory responses, the association was forced to start rehearsals in a private home. Despite their repeated requests for an adequate space and the necessary hours for staging a play, the solutions offered by the Department did not meet their needs. They even had to resume rehearsals in the Cabarrus space, despite adverse weather conditions, due to scheduling necessities.
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"The assignment of classroom 1-B, or any available, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. From the current date until April 10, 2026, in order to successfully complete the staging of the spring play. With the possibility of changing classrooms if the Casa de la Cultura organization needs it for its programming."

the cultural association
The situation worsened during the staging of their play Yerma, which premiered on April 24. Despite having received authorization to use the Casa de la Cultura theater for preliminary rehearsals, the presence of an event by the Community of Madrid on April 16 created a conflict. The Councillor insisted that they could not plan the lighting until after said event, ignoring the complexity of lighting design and the association's proposals to make both events compatible. Furthermore, they were reprimanded for using the theater on unauthorized days, even though the space was free, and were denied access to the control booth, citing the need for a professional.
The association also regrets being denied the possibility of holding a post-performance discussion with the audience, a common practice for them. Finally, the Board of Directors of the A. C. XEXIL BODY MILK has expressed its "disregard" for the absence of government team members at their performances, despite having sent them personal invitations, and has reaffirmed its commitment to continue its cultural work in the municipality.

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