Social Antzokia

Social Antzokia is the theatre and cultural centre at the heart of Basauri, a town in the Basque Country just outside Bilbao. Its Basque name simply means "theatre" (antzokia), and for nearly seven decades the building has served as the town's main cultural stage — starting life as a company social club and evolving into a modern venue that mixes cinema, theatre, music and dance.

Where is Social Antzokia located?

The venue sits at Kale Nagusia 2, right in the centre of Basauri, a town in the province of Biscay (Bizkaia) on the Nervión river, only a few kilometres from Bilbao. Basauri belongs to the Greater Bilbao metropolitan area, so the theatre is an easy stop for anyone based in the Bilbao region rather than a destination requiring a special trip.

What is the history behind the building?

The story starts in the mid-1950s. Construction began in 1955, commissioned by the La Basconia company as part of its social welfare programme for workers, and the resulting Centro Social San Pedro opened its doors on 27 April 1957. The original complex centred on a large parish hall used for plays, film screenings, conferences, award ceremonies and music recitals, complemented by smaller rooms for meetings and games, a small library, and a separate residence for the parish priests.

Decades later the building was reborn: on 29 May 1993 it reopened as a dedicated venue for the performing arts and cinema, quickly earning a reputation as one of the reference theatres in Biscay, the Basque Country and Spain more broadly. A comprehensive renovation followed, and the theatre reopened in its current form on 26 February 2011.

What can you expect inside today?

Social Antzokia now offers 756 seats, spacious dressing rooms and modern technical facilities. The venue is run by the Basauri Municipal House of Culture, and its year-round multimedia programme blends cinema, theatre, music and dance — mixing crowd-pleasing entertainment with more demanding cultural proposals. That balance means the calendar has something for families looking for mainstream films as much as for visitors chasing independent cinema or contemporary theatre.

How should you plan a visit?

Check the theatre's online listings before you travel, since the programme changes weekly and tickets for the more popular shows sell out fast. Because Social Antzokia sits in the middle of Basauri, a visit pairs naturally with a walk through the town centre and the surrounding Nervión valley. The venue can be reached by phone or email for practical questions such as group bookings or accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility.

Frequently asked questions

How many seats does Social Antzokia have? The auditorium holds 756 spectators, making it one of the larger performance venues in the Greater Bilbao area.

What does the name "Antzokia" mean? It is the Basque word for "theatre," so the name is a direct description of the building's function as a performing arts venue.

Does the building have a long history? Yes. It was built between 1955 and 1957 as the Centro Social San Pedro, a company-funded social centre for La Basconia workers, and it has operated continuously as a theatre since its 1993 reopening, followed by a full renovation completed in 2011.

How do you get to Social Antzokia from Bilbao? Basauri is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area and sits right next to the city, so the trip by local or regional transport typically takes only a short ride.