The Sala Parés, the oldest art gallery in Barcelona and one of the most veteran in Spain, has secured its continuity with the incorporation of businessman Jaume Sabater, co-founder and CEO of Stoneweg, as the new majority partner of the company that manages this historic exhibition space.
The operation comes at a key moment for the gallery, which in 2027 will celebrate its 150th anniversary. According to the institution itself, Sabater's entry will allow it to face this anniversary with a strengthened structure and a defined long-term continuity project.
The agreement has been formalized with the two branches of the Maragall family linked to the ownership of the gallery and guarantees the continuity of a cultural project closely tied to Barcelona's artistic history. Joan Anton Maragall Garriga will continue to lead the direction of the space.
The search for a successor for the gallery had been on the table for years. Although Sala Parés maintained consolidated activity in both contemporary art and the promotion and commercialization of 19th and 20th-century works, the management was aware of the need to find a formula that would guarantee its continuity beyond the current family generation.
"I am very satisfied to have found a travel companion like Jaume Sabater," said Joan Anton Maragall. The gallery director explained that for years they sought a partner with whom there was a natural fit and who shared the same vision about the role of Sala Parés within Barcelona's cultural scene.
Founded in 1877 and located on Petritxol street, the gallery has witnessed a large part of Catalan artistic history. Figures such as Santiago Rusiñol, Ramon Casas, Isidre Nonell, Joaquim Mir, or Pablo Picasso have passed through its rooms, making it one of the reference spaces for understanding the evolution of modern art in Catalonia.
Sabater's entry will not entail changes in the gallery's artistic direction. The new majority partner has expressed his willingness to maintain the project's identity and strengthen both the exhibition program and complementary cultural activities, including conferences, presentations, and concerts. "I immediately saw that it was a solid business, but with a medium-term generational handover challenge, and I didn't hesitate for a moment," the businessman stated. Sabater has assured that his goal is to contribute to a new stage of growth and continuity for the institution.
The operation comes at a time of transformation for the art market, marked by increasing internationalization and the need to combine the preservation of historical legacy with the attraction of new audiences. Sala Parés faces a new stage with the challenge of maintaining the role it has played for almost a century and a half as one of the main meeting points between artists, collectors, and art lovers in Barcelona.
"We want to guarantee 150 more years of Sala Parés in Barcelona," Sabater summarized, synthesizing the objective of an alliance that seeks to ensure the future of one of the city's most emblematic cultural institutions.