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Puerto Rico wall spaces reserved for muralists from around the world

By on October 30, 2019

Celso González, Alexis Bousquet, Vero Rivera and Bob Snow. (Courtesy DiscoverPuertoRico.com)

Street artists urged to showcase their talent alongside island’s own

SAN JUAN – In partnership with Puerto Rico’s local art community, Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization (DMO), has launched the “Blank Canvas Initiative,” a call to street artists around the world, inviting them to share their craft on the walls of Puerto Rico’s streets, and form part of the Island’s unique and booming arts scene.

“Puerto Rico boasts exceptional art museums, a flourishing art gallery scene, independent collectors, curators, quality events and highly skilled artisans, offering their work across the Island, and a thriving street art and mural experience unlike any other. For travelers who crave and seek out cultural arts and authentic experiences, Puerto Rico should top their list,” the DMO said about the inspiration for the initiative.

Local Puerto Rican artists identify and reserve wall spaces throughout the island inviting muralists worldwide to join the “Blank Canvas Initiative.” (Courtesy DiscoverPuertoRico.com)

Internationally recognized Puerto Rican artist Alexis Bousquet, also the founder of the Santurce es Ley street art festival, is teaming up with local artists Celso González, Vero Rivera and Bob Snow. Together, they are identifying wall spaces across the island to create “Reserved for” signs, which will serve as “blank canvas invitations” for global street artists around the world, to feature their art alongside Puerto Rico’s own, the Discover Puerto Rico explained.

“As artists, we believe in expression, and I hope that my fellow artists around the world see this opportunity to express themselves while being a force for good,” Bousquet said. “We welcome them to our Island, to take part in our booming art scene and to explore a place that will surely capture their hearts.”

The new artwork from the “Blank Canvas Initiative” will be showcased in time for the holidays, which the DMO always makes sure to remind potential travelers that the island’s are “renowned as the longest in the world.”

The holidays in Puerto Rico “are like no other, and culminate” with the San Sebastián Street Festival, the largest in Puerto Rico where thousands of locals and visitors alike gather to experience parades of cabezudos (big heads), live music, dancing, libations, food, and hundreds of authentic crafts by local artisans,” the organization explained.

The new murals will also be a focal point during upcoming “Santurce es Ley” street art festivals, which celebrate the thriving mural scene and stunning works in the area, approaching its eighth anniversary, where works are being created and unveiled live.

“Some areas of Puerto Rico are a true haven for mural art, yet we’re not a destination typically visited for that,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. “In addition to Santurce es Ley, our Island offers many options for travelers looking for rich arts and culture to be inspired – from our artisan’s work, widely available throughout the Island, to museums and art galleries open year-round, and other art-focused events like the MECA Art Fair – our Island is a culture lovers’ delight for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in authentic experiences and everything Puerto Rico has to offer.”

Puerto Rico’s “art culture sets it apart from other Caribbean destinations,” the DMO assured in the initiative’s announcing release, adding that the island hosts the annual MECA Art Fair Nov. 21-24 – “the largest” in the Caribbean.

“The unique blend of Taino Indian, African and Spanish heritages makes the art scene across the Island one-of-a-kind with a cultural DNA unlike any other. The Island has more than 70 museums and 50 art galleries that contain works ranging from ancient Indigenous and African, to Baroque and Victorian, and contemporary works of art,” Discover Puerto Rico wrote.

For global artists interested in joining the “Blank Canvas Initiative,” Discover Puerto Rico welcomes them to contact BlankCanvas@DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

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