"True generosity towards the future consists in giving everything to the present." This phrase by Albert Camus summarizes the spirit that should guide any company committed to society: understanding that patronage is not just an altruistic gesture, but a way of building the future.
Some still see it as a complementary activity, but I am convinced that it is an exciting duty. It may sound like a cliché, I know, but I firmly believe it: companies, small and large, have the responsibility to give back to society part of what it gives us. And today we also have a tool that makes it easier than ever: a Patronage Law that, after many years of demands, finally offers a positive and stimulating framework for companies that decide to get involved.
At Damm, we have long clearly distinguished between collaborations with an obvious counterpart —which we place under the umbrella of the Sponsorship Department— and those actions that do not seek commercial return, but simply excite us and respond to our vocation of commitment. We promote the latter through the Damm Foundation, which is today our main engine when it comes to channeling initiatives to contribute to the construction of a better society.
Patronage can be shared —as is the case at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, where we coincide with other large companies—, but it must also be its own project. In our case, we are especially proud of two initiatives: the Damm Football Club, a high-competition entity with more than seven decades training boys and girls in values through sport, and the Damm Historical Archive, which preserves and disseminates the memory of our almost 150 years of history. These initiatives are not only the company's heritage: they are the city's heritage.
Barcelona has a tradition of associationism and patronage that make it unique. The Excursionist Center, which next year will celebrate 150 years; the Sagrada Familia, built thanks to the constant contribution of civil society; or the Joan Miró Foundation, born from the generosity of an artist and a city that has always known how to love culture —Miró himself said that "art needs everyone's support to be free and to grow." We are heirs to this tradition and we have an obligation to keep it alive.
But for that to be possible, an essential condition is necessary: that patronage excites those who practice it. A painting lover who has gathered a collection should be able to share it, or collaborate in the creation of spaces where others can learn and enjoy it; someone who loves music can support a festival or a center where young talent is trained. El patronage is born of passion and, if it is not authentic, it will hardly take root.
The alliance with the third sector is also fundamental. At the Damm Foundation, we collaborate with entities such as the Casal dels Infants del Raval. But beyond the economic contribution, we seek a real impact on the lives of the boys and girls. That is why, every week, we invite a group of young people to train at our Sports City, we provide them with material, sports uniform, boots that are already theirs, and the possibility of showering in clean and welcoming spaces. These seemingly simple experiences can make a huge difference in their daily lives.
"It is an act of generosity, but also of collective responsibility"
It is true that large companies often have the capacity to promote large projects: hospitals, exhibitions or cultural facilities. But let's not forget that patronage is not the exclusive heritage of the great. The butcher who places an advertisement in the program of his town's theater also does patronage. Small contributions, neighborhood initiatives, support for the sports club, the neighborhood entity or the cultural center are equally essential to keep this network alive.
Patronage, in short, is a shared commitment. It is an act of generosity, but also of collective responsibility: we understand that society only prospers if we all contribute. In Barcelona, we are lucky to have a tradition that inspires us, with institutions that remind us of it and with a law that facilitates it.
Now it is up to us, companies and citizens, to continue this path. Because patronage is not just an altruistic gesture: it is the most effective way we have to build, together, a fairer, richer and more supportive city and country.