Galaxy evolution is one of the hot topics in Astrophysics that have shown tangible progress in the last years. This has been mostly due to advent of large telescopes, both ground based and in space, with state-of-the-art instruments, equipped with high sensitive detectors. They have made possible acquiring the deepest surveys in different wavelengths, using different complementary techniques. The present project is aimed at the execution and exploitation of several deep surveys, mostly leaded by Spanish researchers, and at the improvement of the detectors of the OSIRIS instrument at the GTC, together with a preliminary study for a wide field optical-near infrared imager for the E-ELT. Specific targets of the project are the evolution of distant and faint emission line galaxies, reddened active galactic nuclei, and far infrared galaxies, both in field and clusters. The proposed instrumental developments are aimed at increasing the scope of both telescopes in the field of extragalactic surveys.