What began eight years ago as a cafe serving Colombian coffee to lure passersby into its modest art gallery is now the massive Casa Cultural Nuestra Herencia. Opened last August, it’s a continuation of the original dream as a hub for street art and artists—albeit in a much larger space with monthly rotating exhibits, a shop stocked with art prints and handicrafts representing the work of 60 to 70 local street artists, and a studio hosting workshops for emerging artists, vulnerable youth, and even tourists upon request.
From the punk-inspired graffiti of the 1980s to today’s full-scale murals with distinctly South American motifs, street art has become synonymous with Bogotá. The historic Candelaria neighborhood, where Casa Cultural Nuestra Herencia is located, is covered in colorful murals—often with a powerful social or political message. The cofounders wanted to help artists make a living from their work, while sharing their perspectives, showcasing a different side of Colombia, and using art as a force for good. “Art transforms lives, transforms thoughts, [and] transforms communities,” says Edwar Ordóñez, one of Casa Cultural’s three founders. “We consider ourselves leaders of peace.”