About Centre Català d’Escòcia

What we do

Centre Català d’Escòcia (Scotland’s Catalan Centre) brings together Catalans, Catalan speakers, and Catalan culture lovers who live in Scotland, particularly Edinburgh. Our mission is to promote Catalan culture and language in Scotland, through the organisation of cultural events and regular activities. In addition, we facilitate the familiarisation of children and young people of mixed cultural background with their Catalan heritage, we assist new-coming Catalan families and individuals during their integration into Scottish society, and we provide information and access to cultural knowledge for people interested in life in Catalonia.

The activities we organise vary from year to year, but we usually host a yearly calçotada, a Sant Jordi celebration, a castanyada event, and a Christmas party. Alongside this, we hold regular meet-ups for children and adults to practice Catalan, as well as working hand-in-hand with the Colla Castellera d’Edinburgh to organise weekly human towers rehearsals.

When were we established

The Centre was established in 1998, by Catalan mothers living in Edinburgh who wanted to ensure their children grew up speaking Catalan. In 2008, we were officially established as a Scottish charity (SC039646), and in 2023, we celebrated our 25th anniversary. We’ve experienced ups and downs over the years, with the organisation almost vanishing after Brexit and during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are now back and stronger than ever!

How we work

Through a small but dedicated organising committee and a network of volunteers, the Centre runs a variety of free and ticketed events to promote Catalan culture. As a non-profit organisation, we reinvest any sales revenue from our more popular events into providing a wider array of cultural offerings to our members.

Our organising committee, which is made up of a few members chosen at an annual assembly, is in charge of the ordinary and budgetary management of the Centre. The organisation of activities, however, remains in the hands of Centre members, with the board promoting and facilitating coordination between members.

Centre Català d’Escòcia is legally structured as a non-profit entity subject to Catalan law, and receives funding from the Catalan government, as one of the Catalan communities abroad officially recognised by the Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia.

Current committee

Centre Català d’Escòcia elects a new managing and organising committee every year. The current committee was elected in January 2025, and is made up of the following members:

  • Laia Puig Espar (president)

  • Carla Roca Bayerri (treasurer)

  • Elisabet Vives Requena (secretary)

  • Max Torras Figerola (Colla Castellera d’Edinburgh representative)

  • Ingrid Carreras, Irene Foster, Maria Jover, Aina Rodriguez (advisory committee members)

Activity reports and financing statements

Coming soon!