Seventy Years of Tradition

San Miguel’s prominence as a center for fine arts began in 1938, with the founding of Bellas Artes, an arm of Mexico’s National Art Institute. The school attracted students from Mexico and beyond and teachers such as Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siquieros. Well before the 1960’s, when it was christened “Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez, El Nigromate” it, and San Miguel’s fledgling art colony, had gained international recognition.?

This early beginning was firmly cemented with the founding of the Instituto Allende. During the 1950’s the Instituto, affiliated with the University of Guanajuato, began offering academic credit to returning WWII veterans under the American GI Bill. Many who came to study were charmed with the light, the lifestyle and the laid-back atmosphere and decided to make San Miguel their permanent home.

Word of San Miguel’s reputation, and a robust North American economy, drew more visitors in the 1960’s, who arrived to find numerous artists in residence and established art galleries. Many chose to stay and, along the way, a number of crumbling colonial mansions were renovated and restored (and required decorating). San Miguel’s renaissance from a forgotten colonial artifact to thriving artists’ community.

As the community prospered, more artists moved here to work and more galleries of art and artesania opened to sell that work. The town quickly evolved into the biggest center of artists and art galleries in the country, outside of Mexico City. Today, San Miguel can quietly claim that they have a larger proportion of art galleries to citizens than any other town in Mexico and those galleries feature works by artists acclaimed both nationally and internationally.

And, San Miguel’s unique light, architecture and vibrant colors continue to draw and inspire artists, ensuring that its renaissance is by no means complete.