MISSION
Queen Sofía Spanish Institute was founded as The Spanish Institute in 1954 to promote greater awareness and understanding of the culture of the Spanish-speaking world in the United States, and was renamed in November 2003 to recognize the support given to the Institute by Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain. We have been proud to celebrate the deeply rooted creativity of the Spanish spirit and the indelible influence of the nation’s popular traditions and cultures across media, disciplines, and eras.
The Institute primarily strengthens its mission through a rigorous calendar of cultural activities, including lectures, symposia, and book presentations addressing topics of current international interest in public affairs, medicine, and the arts. The Institute’s Board of Directors and Cultural & Fine Arts Committee are committed to bringing the highest-quality speakers. The list of distinguished participants over the last few years includes José María Aznar (introduced by Henry Kissinger), Rosamond Bernier, Dr. Jonathan Brown, Dr. Santiago Calatrava, Sir John Elliott, Dr. Valentín Fuster, Robert Hughes, Dr. Richard Kagan, Dr. Eric Lander, Richard Meier, José Rafael Moneo, John Richardson, Terrence Riley, Dr. Barbara Rose, Javier Solana, Lord Hugh Thomas, and Gary Tinterow.
Issues of translation, expressing as they do the Institute’s mission to engage diverse cultures in dialogue, have received a special emphasis through conversations with such noted authors and scholars as Elvira Lindo, Antonio Muñoz Molina, and Edith Grossman, as well as the initiation of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Translation Prize. In 2010, the Institute awarded Dr. Edith Grossman the Inaugural Prize for excellence in the translation of Spanish peninsular literature into English. The prize will next be awarded in 2012.
Queen Sofía Spanish Institute has maintained an especially strong commitment to the fine arts by exhibiting major masters and newly emerging artists from Spain, Latin America, and Europe. International acclaim has surrounded such exhibitions as Balenciaga: Spanish Master, the first exhibition to consider the impact of Spain’s culture, history and art on one of its greatest twentieth-century sons, the legendary designer Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972). The exhibition Joaquín Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress (December 8, 2011 – March 10, 2012) will examine the rich history of Spain’s regional dress through the vibrant and colorful paintings of Joaquín Sorolla. The Institute will proudly host a spectacular display of traditional Spanish costume, jewelry, and accessories in the powerful visual context of a selection of Sorolla’s original paintings.
Beyond its cultural events, the Institute prides itself on being a valuable educational resource for the New York community. Since 1959, the Institute has offered comprehensive translation services and classes in Spanish as a foreign language at all levels. Group classes are strictly limited to 12 students, thereby enabling full individual participation and a lively and elegant atmosphere enhanced by the beauty of the Institute’s Landmark neo-Federal townhouse, designed by McKim, Mead & White. The instructors are native speakers with extensive teaching experience and hold advanced degrees in various fields.
The Institute’s annual Gold Medal Gala was established in 1978 to recognize individuals who have contributed to the international appreciation of Spain and Ibero-America through their achievements in such varied disciplines as international relations, science, business, the arts, literature, and philanthropy. The 2011 Gold Medal Gala, to be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 under the gracious patronage of Their Majesties, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain, and in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Sofía, will honor chef Ferran Adrià, Academy Award-winning actor Javier Bardem, American Express Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ken Chenault, and photographer Mario Testino.
As a not-for-profit organization, the Institute is supported by individual and corporate memberships, donations from the Board of Directors and friends of the Institute, foundation grants, and a Endowment Fund. Members take an active part in all programs and their interest and support is essential to the continuing vitality of the organization.