The exhibitions “Ignacio Aldecoa: The Craft of Writing” and “Carmen Martín Gaite: A Paradigm of a Woman of Letters,” organized by the National Library of Spain to mark the centenary of the birth of both authors, are supported by ACS Foundation and other institutions. They will be open to the public until June 14, 2026, at the National Library’s headquarters.

Ignacio Aldecoa was one of the most prominent writers of the so-called “Mid-Century Generation” or “Generation of the 1950s,” and a master of the modern Spanish-language novel and short story. Through this exhibition, the BNE aims to bring his life and work closer to the general public by exploring his family background, formative years, university studies in Salamanca and Madrid, his first steps in the literary world, and his definitive literary consolidation during the 1950s and 1960s. In this way, the National Library of Spain helps to reclaim a fundamental figure in our most recent literary history.

Ignacio Aldecoa Exhibition Dossier here

Ignacio Aldecoa Exhibition Brochure here

The Carmen Martín Gaite exhibition highlights the milestones of her personal and intellectual journey and her cultural legacy through a selection of photographs, portraits, manuscripts and typescripts of her major works and notebooks, letters, collages, books from her personal library, audiovisual materials, personal objects, and the international reach of the writer through translations of her work into European and non-European languages. This journey showcases the diversity of her literary interests and how they unfolded in various directions: from traditional genres (poetry, short stories, novellas, novels, essays, and theater) to the hybrid format her daughter named the “notebook of everything,” from historical research to literary criticism, from opinion articles to collages, and from theatrical adaptations of classics
and television scripts to literary translations from six languages (English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Galician, and Romanian).

Carmen Martín Gaite Exhibition Dossier here

Carmen Martín Gaite Exhibition Brochure here

The XIII Conference on Best Practices in Cultural and Natural Heritage, organized by Hispania Nostra and ACS Foundation, was held on December 16, 2025, at the headquarters of the Official College of Architects of Madrid. This edition focused the debate and case presentations on Heritage Management in the Face of Risks, a numerous Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC) and sites declared World Heritage have been affected in our country by fires, floods, earthquakes, and vandalism, among other factors.

The cultural sector must equip itself with the appropriate tools (Safeguarding Plans) for emergency situation management and understand the procedures for action and coordination with the various institutions involved in an emergency. Lessons learned from the Lorca earthquake, the La Palma volcano, the floods in Valencia, or the fire at the Córdoba Mosque are crucial for continuing to improve the protection of our cultural and natural heritage.

Full program here.

The Spinal Cord Injury Foundation has recognized individuals and organizations, including the ACS Foundation, with its solidarity awards "Hearts that Help, People that Transform" for their continued support throughout its history.

The event was attended by the President of the Community of Madrid and coincided with the inauguration of a new Early Intervention Area at the Spinal Cord Injury Foundation's Clinical Center. This pioneering space is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with spinal cord injuries. This new area, equipped with advanced therapeutic resources and a comprehensive care approach, will have the capacity to serve approximately 50 minors.

During the institutional visit to the Clinical Center, some of the advancements achieved for minors and adults were presented. These results are thanks to individualized rehabilitation programs involving exoskeletons, as well as psychology and speech therapy treatments, among others.

Journalist Andros Lozano and photojournalist Alberto Di Lolli have been awarded the VI David Gistau Journalism Award for their series of reports titled “Journey to the Epicenter of the Great Cayuco Exodus”, published in August 2024 in El Mundo. The jury decided to recognize this work for “the solidity of its perspective and the way in which it succeeds in shedding light on a complex issue of high informational value”.

In this edition, the jury had to select from 200 pieces published between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, across different formats: print and online press, radio, and television. The award ceremony took place on December 4 at the Vocento headquarters.

The award, organized by Vocento and Unidad Editorial and sponsored by ACS Foundation and Banco Santander, comes with a prize of 10,000 euros. Its aim is to recognize independent journalism, highlight literary quality and informational value in genres such as chronicles, reports, and opinion pieces.

On December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the awards ceremony for the XXII Down Madrid Literary Contest was held in the auditorium of the National Library of Spain.

This contest, organized by the Down Madrid Foundation with the collaboration of ACS Foundation, aims to promote access to culture and creativity for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as to highlight the work they do in the field of literature. In addition to the Short Story and Poetry categories, for the second year, the "Relatos a 4 Manos" (Four-Handed Tales) category has been included, featuring stories written by a person with an intellectual disability and a support person of their choice. A book is published with all the submitted works, and copies are deposited in the National Library of Spain.

These awards are part of the ACS Foundation's support for the development of reading and writing skills among people with intellectual disabilities, alongside other Down Madrid initiatives such as the accessible "Cuentigo" books, collectible easy-to-read materials, school dictionaries, easy spelling workbooks, and easy cooking recipes that enhance the autonomy of people with disabilities.