The Spanish bank BBVA donated funds to restore the facade of a historic building in Montevideo’s downtown where the National Institute for the Performing Arts of Uruguay will function, according to the agreement signed today between this institution and the Ministry of Education and Culture of the South American country.

As Uruguay’s BBVA’s Executive President, Rafael González Moya, affirmed, this donation will be used to preserve and renovate the facade of the Banco Inglés (English Bank), which the Uruguayan government designated as being of historic interest, so that it becomes the front door of the first official theatre and dance school of the country.

González stated as he signed the agreement: “This project is an ideal solution for us. This building, next to BBVA’s head offices, was becoming a problem given its state of neglect. Now it will be preserved as something alive, dedicated to educate young people in something as important as culture”.

The Bank’s Executive President did not state the donation’s amount.

The piece of land occupied by the Banco Inglés, just like other buildings of Montevideo’s old town, had become a refuge to homeless people and drug addicts. The city’s government is trying to revert this situation by restoring and putting into service several buildings.

María Simón, Uruguay’s Minister of Education and Culture, considered “symbolic” the fact that a bank is supporting culture and affirmed that this makes it a true institution of social support and promotion”.

The Minister also considered that by creating a National Performing Arts Institute, the executive makes up for “the system’s lack of education in disciplines like theatre and dance within the system”.

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