The Houses of Culture in Madrid: current state of a historical problem for the local community

The article proposes a research on the sociocultural centers of the Madrid City Council, the old Houses of Culture, for problematize the current status of its functioning which was historically conflictive in Spain. Taking as methodology of research the case study it is showed the managerial structure, the decision making processes, legal frameworks, finances and activities and services developed in the centre facing to recognize the faults of this kind of spaces with a exploratory and critical goal as they are dedicated to offer sociocultural activities organized by profitable private companies.