Fundación Xavier de Salas

A cultural foundation in a 15th-century convent

Fundación Xavier de Salas (FXS) is a nonprofit cultural organization established in 1981 by Xavier de Salas and his wife, Carmen Ortueta. Its founding purpose is to support cultural and social development in Extremadura and Ibero-America. The foundation works from La Coria Convent, a 15th-century building in Trujillo, Cáceres, restored beginning in 1969; the first phase of rehabilitation was completed in 1983.

Education, research, and heritage

• Education and cultural immersion: Spanish-language and Ibero-American culture courses for international students, with academic and professional tracks.
• Research: programs on Spain’s historical and artistic culture and its influence in Ibero-America, as well as anthropology and music.
• Heritage: conservation and interpretation of La Coria Convent and its surroundings.
• Ibero-American Crafts Exhibition (MAI): a permanent display of crafts.
• Cultural calendar: lectures, seminars, concerts, and institutional events.
• Library and archive: the foundation’s publications and documentary collection.

Programs, courses, and events

Ongoing programs include Programa Iris; Economy, Business and the Future; the Landscape and Territory seminar; Environment; Spanish-German Conversations; American Ethnology; and Promúsica, a series of musical evenings. A choral conducting course is scheduled for October 23–25, 2026.

Spaces for public and private events

Alongside its own programs, the convent is available for academic, cultural, and social events organized by institutions, foundations, associations, businesses, and private groups. The site also includes an educational museum and the Ibero-American crafts exhibition.

Leadership and independence

The foundation is chaired by Jaime de Salas Ortueta, son of its founders and a professor of philosophy at Complutense University of Madrid. Carmen Ortueta Martínez is its honorary chair. The board includes people with extensive professional experience. The organization describes itself as independent of the state, the church, and business, and says it relies mainly on voluntary contributions and partnerships.

Contact

For inquiries, the foundation lists contacto@fundacionxavierdesalas.org.