Delfina Entrecanales
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María Delfina Entrecanales de Azcárate
CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(10 April 1927 – 1 April 2022) was a Spanish-British arts patron and philanthropist, established in England since 1946. She was the founder and Chairwoman Emeritus of the
Delfina Foundation The Delfina Foundation is an independent, non-profit foundation dedicated to facilitating artistic exchange and developing creative practice through residencies, partnerships and public programming. About Delfina Foundation was founded in 20 ...
, an independent not-for-profit organisation devoted to supporting artists through a residency programme and exhibition space in London. She retired from the board of trustees in 2020.


Early life

Entrecanales was born on 10 April 1927, into an affluent family, in southern
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, the first child of industrialist and María de Azcárate. Her father, an engineer, was the founder of the company known today as
Acciona Acciona, S.A. () is a Spanish multinational conglomerate dedicated to the development and management of infrastructure (construction, water, industrial and services) and renewable energy. The company, via subsidiary Acciona Energía, produces 21 ...
and her mother came from a progressive family linked to the
Institución Libre de Enseñanza The Institución Libre de Enseñanza (ILE, English: ''Free Teaching Institution'') was a pedagogical experience developed in Spain for more than half a century (1876–1939). It was inspired by the Krausism, Krausist philosophy introduced at the Co ...
. By the end of the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
, many of her relatives were in exile and her father decided to send her abroad, away from Franco's dictatorship. She moved to Oxford to learn English and stayed at the household of Robert Mortimer, a scholar and priest – who later would become the
Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The current bishop is Mike Harrison (bishop), Mike Harrison, since 2024. From the first bishop until the sixteent ...
– and his wife, who tutored her. During her time in Oxford, she also met her first husband, a banker, with whom she had four children. One of her sons died at the age of 17 in a car accident, a tragic event that marked her life. When her marriage ended, after 20 years, she decided to stay in England, instead of returning to Spain, and became a socialite and a patron. In the 1970s, she bought a farm with several cottages in Little Bedwin, Wiltshire, where she hosted a number of musicians, providing them with accommodation and space to work. She first offered to her friend
Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is an English retired musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming para ...
, formerly of the band
Soft Machine Soft Machine are an English Rock music, rock band from Canterbury, Kent. The band were formed in 1966 by Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen and Larry Nowlin. Soft Machine were central in the Canterbury scene; they became o ...
, the possibility to set up his recording studio at the farm while he was recovering from an accident. The resultant album was '' Rock Bottom'', released in 1974, which included musical performances by
Ivor Cutler Ivor Cutler (born Isadore Cutler, 15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, singer, musician, songwriter, artist and humorist. He became known for his regular performances on BBC radio, and in particular his numerous sessions recor ...
,
Hugh Hopper Hugh Colin Hopper (29 April 1945 – 7 June 2009) was a British progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and other bands. Biography Early career Starting i ...
,
Richard Sinclair Richard Stephen Sinclair (born 6 June 1948) is an English progressive rock bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who has been a member of several bands of the Canterbury scene. Biography Born in Canterbury, England, both his father (Dick Sinclair) ...
,
Laurie Allan Laurie Allan (born 19 February 1943) is an English drummer, best known for stints in Delivery and Gong. Biography Allan started drumming when he was 12. His professional career got going in the early 1960s. He was in The First Real Poetry Ba ...
,
Mike Oldfield Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953) is an English retired musician, songwriter and producer best known for his debut studio album ''Tubular Bells'' (1973), which became an unexpected critical and commercial success. Though primarily a gu ...
and
Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...
, and was produced by Pink Floyd's
Nick Mason Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every ...
. Even though her intention was to keep supporting musicians, following the advice of a friend who taught at the
Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...
, she decided to shift her patronage activity to the visual arts after realizing that the equipment musicians would need was far too expensive. In the meantime, she married her second husband, Digby Squires, who was 25 years younger than her. The couple stayed together for 30 years and worked together to establish the Delfina Studio Trust.


Contribution to the arts

In 1988 the Delfina Studio Trust opened its doors at a former jeans factory in Stratford, east London. Four years later, it moved to a bigger space in Bermondsey Street, a former chocolate factory that after being refurbished provided accommodation, studio rooms, a gallery and a canteen where artists could eat for £1. A long list of artists were supported by the Delfina Studio Trust, including Glenn Brown, Jane & Louise Wilson,
Keith Tyson Keith Tyson (born Keith Thomas Bower,Keith Tyson
, Maud Cotter, Mark Francis,
Mark Wallinger Mark Wallinger (born 25 May 1959) is an English artist. Having previously been nominated for the Turner Prize in 1995, he won in 2007 for his installation '' State Britain''. His work ''Ecce Homo'' (1999–2000) was the first piece to occupy th ...
,
Tacita Dean Tacita Charlotte Dean CBE, RA (born 1965) is a British visual artist who works primarily in film. She was a nominee for the Turner Prize in 1998, won the Hugo Boss Prize in 2006, and was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 2008. She lives ...
,
Thomas Demand Thomas Cyrill Demand (born 1964) is a German sculptor and photographer. He currently lives and works in Berlin and Los Angeles, and teaches at the University of Fine Arts, Hamburg. He makes photographs of three-dimensional models that look like ...
and Tomoko Takahashi, among many others. Some of those artists later became winners or finalists of some of the most prestigious awards in the sector, including the
Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...
. After the end of her second marriage, Entrecanales withdrew from her activity as a patron for some time but then in 2005, during a trip to
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
with her close friend and international human rights lawyer Mark Muller, she decided to resume her work supporting artists. In 2007, the Delfina Foundation opened to the public, housed in an Edwardian building near Victoria, in central London. Although initially it had a particular focus on Middle Eastern and North African artists, the work of the foundation is no longer limited to any specific geographical focus. Entrecanales then bought the house next door and combined the two properties into one unified structure, designed by London's Studio Octopi and Cairo-based architect Shahira Fahmy, which has space to host eight artists and also includes a library, communal kitchen, offices and an exhibition space. Coinciding with the opening of the new building, the programme also shifted from a regional focus to a thematic approach, starting with a pluriannual residential programme on "the Politics of Food". Unlike most patrons, Entrecanales was not an art collector and instead defined herself as a "collector of artists", having supported more than 600 artists worldwide with her philanthropic work: "The one thing I want you to make clear is that I am not a collector. I collect artists, not art!". Establishing a deep connection with artists was what drove her work: "Meeting inspiring people, and inspiring other people. My relationship with the artists is why I've done it; all the other things, I don't care about it. I am like a grandmother, to all of them." In recognition of her contribution to the arts, Entrecanales was made a
Commander of Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(CBE) in the
Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the King's Official Birthday, reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm by granting various individuals appointment into Order (honour), national or Dynastic order of knighthood, dy ...
in 2012, the year of the
Diamond Jubilee A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
, and she was also the recipient of The Prince of Wales Medal for Philanthropy in the Arts in 2013. In 2016, a Spanish association of female entrepreneurs (Asociación Mujer Siglo XXI, based in
Bilbao Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the Provinces of Spain, province of Biscay and in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the List o ...
) also gave her an award for her patronage work. She retired from the Board of Trustees of the Delfina Foundation in 2020.


Death

Entrecanales' death, at the age of 94, was confirmed on 1 April 2022. No cause of death was given.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Entrecanales, Delfina 1927 births 2022 deaths 20th-century Spanish women 21st-century Spanish women 20th-century British women 21st-century British women Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom British philanthropists Spanish philanthropists Exiles of the Spanish Civil War in the United Kingdom 20th-century women philanthropists 21st-century women philanthropists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire