El Pumarejo is a cultural space in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. As a Cultural Association, we nurture and champion the emerging cultural fabric of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and beyond.

The project was born in the Vallcarca neighbourhood (VKK to friends) in 2015.

In a very short time, the association became a key venue for the local counterculture, offering an extensive, ongoing programme. It became a refuge for bands and collectives that were able to develop freely. In 2018, the venue on Carrer Gomis closed its doors forever, leaving a huge void in Barcelona’s alternative cultural scene.

In 2019, El Pumarejo reopened in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, in what had once been an evangelical church at Av. Carrilet 187, at the back on the right. Despite all the challenges of sustaining a self-managed space, El Pumarejo and its team have continued working in this unique setting for creativity, activism and local art. To date, the space has hosted more than 1,000 events, from concerts and film screenings to club sessions. Musical careers as remarkable as those of Tarta Relena, Marina Herlop, Dame Área and the (Abundance) collective began on this stage, to name just a few.

We offer artists of every style and discipline a space in which to grow creatively and professionally, valuing artistic work and fair treatment in culture. We offer audiences bold local and international cultural proposals with a distinctive voice.

Music and the arts are everywhere. El Pumarejo is another place to experience them.

THE TEAM

El Pumarejo was born from an idea and a need shared by a group of friends—Maria, Juan Luis and Xavi: to create spaces in which culture could develop differently, in a more anti-establishment way and outside market dynamics.

More connections were formed over the years, and the support of people such as Guillermo, Nathan, Dudu, Nico and Alex helped the project take shape.

Pau was essential in securing grants, and Shelly in her tireless work across IT, accounting and creativity.

Max and Sabrina are the voice and online presence of the space, while Siria and Andrea keep it going with all their strength.

The team is united by an indomitable passion for culture and a strong determination to empower the local artistic community. They volunteer their efforts to bring the collective’s vision to life and sustain it in the long term. El Pumarejo also has an extensive network of collaborators and partnerships, including other creators, collectives, programmers, venues, theatres, successes and failures.

A CULTURE OF SELF-MANAGEMENT

Over all these years, we have had to confront—and continue to confront—regulations that often hinder nightlife, community gathering spaces, and independent, self-managed culture.

The project has never had major investors or the backing of major brands or other economic structures. As a result, high maintenance and operating costs have often put the continuity of the space at risk.

We have turned to fundraising campaigns several times in order to keep going. Each time, our community has responded extraordinarily; its support has been vital to our survival and growth, and remains the most valuable thing we have.

In July 2025, we were subject to a precautionary closure that forced us to halt all activity for seven months. During that period, we still had to cover the costs required to preserve the space, with no possibility of generating income.

Thanks to a major crowdfunding campaign and a benefit event at Razzmatazz, we were able to raise the resources needed to carry out extensive renovation and improvement works. We were also able to hire a specialist technical firm to develop and submit the project that could finally allow us to obtain an official concert-venue licence.

We are currently still awaiting a final decision. In the meantime, we continue working to secure the future of the space and keep the project alive.

Although uncertainty remains, so does the conviction that spaces like this are necessary and deserve to exist.

Glory and resilience!

Perseverance and love!

Passion and freedom!

Water and peace!