Cuban art has been one of the island’s greatest attractions over the decades. It is one of the most exciting & thriving art scenes in the world. Starting from colonial masters, to the early 20th century such as Wifredo Lam, to contemporary artists like Tomas Sanchez & Kcho, to the budding artistic talents of Rafael Villares & Niels Reyes; Cuba's artistic wealth is not to be missed. Join Cubartours on one of our voyages that explore the cultural jewels of the Caribbean's largest island.

Art and Religiosity at the Alley of Traditions

In Pueblo Nuevo (New Town), a neighborhood located in the boundaries of the historical centre of Matanzas, there is the Alley of Traditions, a sociocultural project arisen by initiative of that community, with the aim of guaranteeing the safeguard and revitalization of the cultural heritage passed on by our ancestors. Also known as Afro-Athens, this cultural space is visited daily by dozens of people. There reigns a colorful, festive and religious atmosphere. Its neighbors know the history of the place very well because they have built it. Where there was a garbage dump before, which covered five blocks, nowadays, besides the temple houses, there is an art gallery where they exhibit artworks made by professional and amateur artists from the community. The Alley also has libraries, a meeting room, barber and coffee shops, areas that are all taken care of by the residents of Pueblo Nuevo, where a big part of the black and mixed race population from Matanzas live, all of whom treasure the authenticity of their roots, traditions and religion. The 16 groups that bear the traditions from Matanzas have performed at the Alley, as well as prestigious artists from other regions of Cuba and the world. Address: San Ignacio e/ San Francisco y San Juan Bautista. Pueblo Nuevo. Matanzas. © Aracelys Bedevia Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Cuban Art at Poco Bonito Gallery

Poco Bonito gallery is a place where harmoniously flow diverse artistic expressions as photography, painting and sculpture. Pieces explore social content themes from current Cuban reality.

More than a gallery, Poco Bonito is a project in which artists see art as an attitude towards life; through their creation they channel their experiences, concerns and projections for the current reality. Many of the pieces appeal to the combination of formats and materials near or less the world of art. In that sense, the visual result is a reflection of that formal experimentation and self- mixture of Cuban society.

Sundays just until midday.

Loliett M. Delachaux

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A Space for Cuban Art

Actualmente, la Galería Maroya es un lugar para la promoción y comercialización del trabajo de artistas y artesanos cubanos. The building where is it was built in 1891 by Galo Díaz de Tuesta y de la Hoya, acquiring since then dissimilar functions, until 1993, when it is converted into a space for arts. Its name coming from Aborigine language means “moon”.

The gallery exhibits some textiles, ceramics and other objects from the island’s rich craft tradition. It is also a place where are permanently displayed reproductions of the most important Cuban painters and engravers. Sometimes, the gallery receives excellent temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists. The Maroya gallery is a real space to enjoy the Cuban culture.

Sundays just until midday.

Address: 2506 Ave. 54, in front of José Martí Park.

Loliett M. Delachaux

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Welcome to Fusterlandia

A whole neighborhood made with art and imagination turns a considerable area of the coastal town of Jaimanitas into the open warehouse of the Cuban engraver, ceramicist, draftsman and painter José A. Rodríguez Fuster. Fusterlandia has prepared for the national and foreign public more than 80 houses decorated in their gardens and exteriors with picturesque tiles and monumental sculptures, a creative image that has distinguished 226 Street for more than two decades. “It is one of the most singular attractions the visual arts offer in Havana today”, the artist would say about his own project, which combines creations that won’t allow themselves to go unnoticed to visitors: the Rooster’s Tower, the Cubans’ Table, and Fuster’s Door among them. Inspired by the greatest and most influential artists of the plastic arts in the 20th century such as Pablo Picasso from Malaga, the architect Antoni Gaudí and Constantin Brancusi, Fusterlandia revitalizes the very same concept of art in order to take it to undreamed-of limits and to invite the spectator to live that with him, to feel part of the creative process. The art engineer José Fuster, decorated with the Acknowledgement “Gitana Tropical” in 2005 and the Award for the Work of a Lifetime given by the Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets at FIART in 2008, confesses he is still developing his communitarian project with the future idea of creating a children’s gallery. Visit Fusterlandia and take with you the experience of seeing one of the most original places in modern Havana. You will also have the pleasure of meeting the creator of this fascinating project personally. Every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Calle 226, esquina Av. 3ª Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Estudio El Ojo del Ciclón: A Lab for Art

Artists and admirers of art get together in the corner of O’Reilly and Villegas to produce a hurricane of feelings. At El ojo del ciclón (The Eye of the Cyclone) there lies the Studio-Workshop of painter, photographer and designer Leo D’Lázaro, son of the well-known Cuban avant-guard sculptor José Delarra. On Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights several cicloneros (‘cyclone people’) arrive at the residence to take advisable tango lessons and chat about art in this socio-cultural project that plans to become a great boulevard, according to Leo D’Lázaro’s words. A completely habitable house with kitchen, bedroom and dining-room turns out to be not only a lab for art but also a living installation where every single room is riddled with artistic objects from all origins. On the ground floor, sketches and old photographs of Delarra next to Che in Santa Clara; a hall for exhibitions that displayed the works of Armando Zambrana and Omar Cardosa; and a small bar like an archeological remain that symbolically carries the name of Exca-bar. Upstairs, the most intimate place in the house: a room by candlelight, in semidarkness, with dreamcatchers, a fan from the last century, family pictures and a reproduction of the piece El misterioso nido del ciclón (The Mysterious Nest of the Cyclone). Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Art Sales

Arkos Gallery is a small place in Sancti Spíritus where you can find and buy art in many of its styles. Erotic, abstract and traditional paintings, jars, vases and all kind of ceramic items, small but classy sculptures looking like the ones in the Ancient Greece or Rome, wooden handicrafts nicely decorated and even jewelry, like necklaces and rings with a very elegant and modern style…, all that may be found in this artcraft gallery. More events on:

Pedro Pablo Oliva's Studio

Pinar del Río is the birthplace of one of the greatest exponents of the Cuban painting. The work of the neoexpressionist Pedro Pablo Oliva is characterized by a mastery of color, a great chromatic diversity and his mostly socio-political themes. Oliva has developed almost all his work in Pinar del Río, and promoted the cultural development of the younger generations. In 1998, he founded the House-Workshop Pedro Pablo Oliva, at Calle Martí No. 160, in order to promote art, literature and culture in his local province; reason why he has received numerous awards from several institutions in Cuba. Currently, this house is used as workshop and centre of his creations. Under the motto: “Strictly forbidden to stop dreaming”, the Oliva’s studio welcomes visitors by appointment. You will enjoy works even unexposed in museum or galleries, loaded with a strong socio-political sense that evade the government's vision. With some luck, visitors can see Oliva in the creative process, sitting in front of the easel with a half-finished work, as long as the shy genius does not take refuge in his comfort zone, in the drawing room. Karla Padrón Nardiz More events on:

Villanueva Studio: The Unmistakable Aesthetics of Ernesto Villanueva

With a peculiar glass design on its facade that attracts every single spectator, Villanueva Studio appears among the most attractive places on Obispo Street as regards arts. Open every day, it is the place par excellence for visualizing, promoting and selling artworks by the artist Ernesto Villanueva Morera, a perfect exponent of the new expressionist thinking of the last decades of Cuban visual arts. On your way along this artistic heart of the city of Havana, you can find mostly canvases of large dimensions where the bright colors, strong priming and vegetable motifs warn about the very meaning of his painting. A creative display towards events like the International Art Fair of Toronto, the ARCO Fair of Madrid, Havana’s Biennials and exhibitions in France, Luxembourg, Korea and Costa Rica, reveals the professional dimension of this artist. A unique and truly considerable proposal for the advocates of Cuban contemporary art that will live up to their expectations. Every day 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Address: Calle Aguacate 254, Esq. Obispo, Habana Vieja. Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Estudio-Taller de Martha Jiménez: Art that Transcends Limits!

The centric Plaza del Carmen in the city of Camagüey becomes the place par excellence to closely appreciate the plastic works by Martha Jiménez. UNESCO’s Prizewinner in 1997, Jiménez delights the national and foreign public every single day of the week with her most select artistic collection, all of which is gathered in her already popular Studio-Workshop. Painting, ceramics, sculpture and engraving are the centre of attention in this place, all of which is handled under a thematic universe that tackles the problems of Cuban women and matters linked to chauvinist societies. El Bodegón Don Cayetano (Don Cayetano’s Inn), maybe one of the best places for national food in the city, at the same time receives on Saturdays and Sundays some of the pieces by the artist who made Las Chismosas (Gossipy Women), three hefty women made of bronze that rise on the Main Square. Address: Plaza del Carmen, no 282 Daily (Monday to Sunday) 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Admission free for Cubans and foreigners Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Vladimir Art Gallery

The visual artist Vladimir Rodríguez’ place opens its doors daily in the city of Cienfuegos as one of the most recent and polemic centers, a place that exhibits and commercializes the artworks of their creator. Through the drawing technique, this young man from Matanzas uses pictorial symbols that reflect the situations of the Cuban essence; events of the contemporary national history, the existing exodus of thousands of citizens and the living conditions our country faces. As the Spanish art critic Goyo Vigil said: “his aesthetics is his life’s course, his conformation and articulation display almost everything, to feign an eternal rest is what is transferred in order to keep on building his physiognomy of the future.” Director of the Asociación Hermanos Saiz (AHS) in Cienfuegos for three years and a member of the Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC), Vladimir García has made more than 30 solo exhibitions and nearly 40 collective works in and out of Cuba. Ave 56 e/ 25 y 27 Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sundays from 9.00 a.m. to 12:00 m. Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Alcázar Studio. A Space for Cuban Art

The Alcázar Studio is an alternative art space where we can appreciate the works of artists William Perez and Marlys Fuego. Both, founders of the site in 2010, have implemented an own environment that maintains the spirit of the workshop, supported also by the story of an old building (originally pharmacy) of Centro Habana. The pieces on display generally coincide with the latest production of these artists; but you can also see specific works of other stages of their creation. William Perez is an excellent sculptor and drawer artist who has designed a line of work where scratched, flamed and illuminated acrylics are essential elements in his work. Marlys Fuego manages to capture the space with a young, attractive and irreverent visuality. She deploys her experience in painting and other art forms to thereby create, while revealing the complex universe of sexuality, eroticism and notions of gender. The proposals of both artists show the rich and diverse scenery that characterizes the current Cuban art. If you want to visit the studio you must make an appointment in advance using the contact information: Reina #219 and Manrique. Centro Habana, La Habana. Loliett M. Delachaux/ Rigoberto Otaño More events on:

Ana Gladys Falcón Studio: A Woman Born for Contemporary Art

Ana Gladys paints brilliantly colored canvasses full of sensuality and expressionist beauty with a unique use of cubism. In a prolific career her art is one-of-a-kind and in her most recent series unusual in Cuban art through unusual incongruities in her inventive use of instruments in the paintings resulting in a joyful mix of contrasts. Apparent influences are the Sosabravo's strident shades and the thick lines typical of Amelia Peláez. During the 1980's she studied at the Cuban National Arte School, alumni with great artists, Nelson Domínguez, Ernesto García Peña, Eduardo Roca Salazar (Choco) and Ángel Ramírez. Her works are in collections around the world notably in private U.S. collections (Miami, California and New York), Spain, Portugal, Italy, Singapore, Chile, Ecuador and Costa Rica. Her studio in Vedado is open to the public daily from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and can be purchased on eBay at cubanartbeat.com. Visit the studio during your visit to Havana. Avenida Zapata #1912 entre 14 y 16 Dayneris Brito More events on:

Írsula Studio: Intuition, Sense and Originality

Four voices from contemporary art rise on Linea Street, one of the oldest and most centric streets in the city, to shine in their own right. Open to specialists, collectors, and all public interested in the youngest Cuban art, Irsula Studio gathers artworks by novices Adislen Reyes, Andrey Quintana, Arian Irsula and Josuhe Pagliery. The big house in Linea and Paseo has become the place where high aesthetic values and a thorough curatorship are already sticking out, all of which surprise us along with the presence of books, catalogues, drawings and histrionic canvases. A sui generis place because it brings together, besides the most conventional techniques, others as original as abstraction, dripping and goffer (engraving without ink), among which Queloides (Keloids) and Sangre Azul (Blue Blood) are truly startling. Intuition, sense and originality make of Irsula Studio a place where the public will have the last word. Address: Línea 754 Altos e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado, La Habana Open every day from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Admission free Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Café-Galería La Vitrina: Knowing More on Cuban Theatre

Located in Matanzas, at Casa de la Memoria Escénica, lies the Cafe-Gallery La Vitrina, where mainly all kind of performing arts are featured. This art venue was founded as part of a local cultural project and to the date it has exhibited multiple visual arts (painting, drawings, photography) related to theatre, dance and circus. One of the singular characteristics of this place is the creativity of the menu, as every offer bears a resemblance with famous Cuban theater plays, starting with the name has been given to drinks, snacks and meals. You can taste either “Ana en el Trópico” which consists of a refreshing lemonade or “El Premio Flaco”, bread with croquette. We also recommend visitors to take pictures next to the wooden sculpture of Virgilio Piñera, one of the most acclaimed Cuban authors and whose representation also evokes the dramatic work of José Milán. Address: Milanés Street btw. Jovellanos and Matanzas. Text: Aracelys Bedevia Translation: Ibis Sierra Audivert More events on:

Sergio Roque Studio Workshop: Art from Close

Sculptures, paintings, drawings, engravings and ceramics of mainly figurative subjects are exhibited in Sergio Roque's workshop gallery. Roque, winner of the Provincial Prize for Painting and the National Prize for Restoration welcomes all art lovers to enjoy his selections. In recent years the artist has mounted five expositions including the work of emerging artists as they create amazing pieces within the gallery workshop. Born in Nuevitas, Matanzas in 1954, Roque Ruano developed both as an artist and a theoretician and taught at The Matanzas Academy of Arts. He attained national prestige for his work on the Pharmaceutical Museum in the City of the Bridges which won him the national prize. Known especially for his work in ceramics, the artist worked also as the main ceramic specialist at the Varadero workshop. See the work of this multifaceted promoter of emerging national contemporary artists in Old Havana. Calle Contreras between Ayuntamiento y Santa Teresa. Inquire with local people who will guide you to the workshop gallery. Seven days a week. 9:00am 5:00pm Dayneris Brito More events on:

Pedro Esquerré Art Gallery: Where the Best of Cuban Art Merges

One of the most visited places in Cuba is Pedro Esquerré Art Gallery located on Plaza de la Vigía, in the city of Matanzas. This cultural center stands out for its diversity and the high quality of its presentations. In addition to the usual visual arts exhibitions, there are jazz performances, creation workshops and open-air drawing lessons held every month. The creation workshops take place every third Thursday of every month at 2:00 pm. Address: Calle Magdalena e/ Medio y Río, Plaza de la Vigía, Matanzas, Cuba. Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm and Sunday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm © Aracelys Bedevia Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Art Gallery La Paulette

Trinidad is not just about old architecture, paving stone streets and the beach, it is also about contemporary art. La Paulette can testify to that, an art gallery headed by the plastic arts artist José Armando Lumpuy Alfonso. Its location, on Simón Bolívar Street, by the Museum of History and in front of the Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets, reasserts the link between this promotional center and the community; it also passes on exhibitions, lectures and courses to both neighboring institutions, thus allowing spiritual enrichment. Its wide spaces make the contemplation of portraits –among them the one belonging to the world famous Cuban musician Compay Segundo-, landscapes, abstractions and engravings more pleasant; all artworks have been made by numerous creators who choose La Paulette, not so much because of its strategic location but because of the professionalism of its specialists to commercialize. Lumpuy, born in 1958 and a Scenographic Design graduate, belongs to the Cuban Association of Artisans and Artists. In the 80s he had an outstanding participation in the production of posters allegorical to Santiago Espirituano, a festivity of remote religious lineage. His artworks swell private collections in the United States, Latin America and Europe. The gallery owns its name to María Teresa Paulette Cagigas, former owner of the house, a pious lady who loved art and had illustrious guests, among them the well-known Cuban painter Amelia Peláez. Address: Simón Bolívar (Desengaño) No. 411 e/ Francisco Gómez Toro (Callejón de Peña) y Gustavo Izquierdo (Gloria), Trinidad. Text by: Arturo Delgado Pruna Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Taller de Cerámica de Camagüey: Strokes of Genius Made with Clay!

If you like to appreciate the strokes of genius that can be derived from earthenware, porcelain or clay, Camagüey’s Ceramics Workshop can be your best choice. Located on one of the most centric streets of the historical “Ciudad de los Tinajones” (City of the large earthenware jars), the institution gathers in its interior representative pieces from all over the world: Austria, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Denmark, Spain and the Dominican Republic. With several years of experience, the workshop has become one of the few spaces in the island destined both to the preservation of ceramics and the artistic innovation through its most attractive and contemporary techniques. The International Symposium of Artistic Ceramics of Camagüey, that receives the best craftsmen from Cuba and Latin America, is just one of the events that make of this laboratory of art a place for looseness and the creative gesture. Consider the chance to visit and let your imagination rise towards undreamed-of limits. Address: Calle República, no. 382 Daily: Monday to Sunday Hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Admission free Text: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

Art Center of Camagüey: Where All Art Lives!

Painting, installations, sculpture, photography, ceramics and other artistic expressions round off at once the attractive halls of the Art Center of Camagüey. From Cuba and the world, exhibits from the most dissimilar origins come to Ciudad de los Tinajones (City of Large Earthenware Jars) to become permanent heritage at this place in Camagüey. A gallery and bazaar at the same time, the Center annually welcomes two of the most outstanding city events as regards art: the International Video Art Festival and Noviembre Fotográfico (Photographic November). A place thought of for the artistic delight, where you will be surprised by the warm welcome by any painter, photographer or critic, be them Cuban or foreign, passing through the Culture House in Camagüey. Do not reject the experience of feeling close up the greatest vibes if it comes to art; this Center can turn out to be your smartest choice. Address: Calle República Monday to Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturdays and Sundays: 9:00 am a 12:00 m Admission free for Cubans and foreigners Text by: Dayneris Brito Translation: Beatriz Rodríguez More events on:

33:08 Contemporary Art Garage

In a quiet neighborhood in Playa contemporary art has come alive with high caliber youthful art. Maykel Sotomayor (Eddy) top bills this trio placing large fauvista paintings on the walls of this hip new gallery. Erotic depictions within landscapes is the general theme. The name 33:08 is also the address on 33rd Street near Miramar's Casa de la Musica. Important Cuban art critic Elvia Rosa Castro was on hand among other notables of the Cuban art world for the grand opening. This gallery is not the usual by any means. With experience with previous galleries, Maykel has put together a pleasing backdrop, conveniently located near 31st Avenue and still out of the hustle of Havana vieja and a worthwhile trek for lovers of contemporary Cuban art. Mix your visit to Casa de la Musica Miramar with an afternoon visit to 33:08, the only part missing is yours! Calle 36 #3308 between 35 and 33 Municipality Playa Dayneris Brito More events on:

K-51: Fresh Art in Vedado

Named after Soviet submarines, this studio was inaugurated with association with the Alliance Francais and the Embassy of the United States with three exhibits. Original idea of Javier Alonso and Jorge Luis Aguilar, K 51 converges contemporary art paintings, sculpture and video installations. In a short time personal the gallery hosted art critics Toni Piñera y Alfredo Sarabia to observe the results. "The Face of Cuba" a photo exhibition by Claudia Corrales followed by "20 Seconds of Sun" by the young Serlián Barreto, a series of expressionist pieces revealing solitude and violence via the tragic treatment of animals living things and objects. Graduates of the Superior Academy, San Alejandro Institute of Art provides dissimilar artists, selected by the gallery to give voice to young Cuban artists. Each exposition seems to followed by another even better. New art arrives with a new unfettered art interpretation. Calle K between Calzada and 5ta Building 51 Dayneris Brito. More events on:

The Tradition of the Pottery Masters

The visitor who comes to Trinidad has no way to get lost if he/she is looking for the great masters of clay. In the city where everyone seems to know where the best studios are located, there's almost no risk of taking the wrong way. It is no secret that Trinidad has a rich history on ceramics. This tradition dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, when a workshop was founded by Don Secundino Santander, whose skills have been passed down to successive generations, until our days. They know very well how to mold the clay and turn it into an artistic piece. Yes, because what it used to be at first a profession for providing bricks and lime to the village, soon started to go beyond and vary their production to vases, jars, pots, jugs, water filters ..., surpassing the utilitarian purpose in order to reach a high artistic and decorative content. La Casita del Barro is one of those workshops that emerged from the ancient tradition, a place of good taste and simplicity, with quality products at reasonable prices. In there, mostly molded by Neidis Santander's hands, we can find ceramic relief murals worked, dishes with Pre-Columbian decorations, reproductions of Trinidad's facades and streets, and unique pieces made in various formats that combine ancient techniques and the most modern ones with a particular brand. B. Junco More events on:

Varadero Art Gallery

Varadero Art Gallery, member of the Fondo Cubano de Bienes Culturales, exhibits and sells unique pieces made by Cuban artists from around the country. In its three rooms visitors can find jewelry, small sculptures, engravings, watercolors and oil paintings that have been made by artists such as Nelson Dominguez, Ernesto García Peña, Alberto Lescay, Gilberto Frómeta, among many others. The funds on exhibition are constantly renewed and each item which is of patrimonial importance is tagged with export permission. More events on:

Provincial Museum of Art

The Art Museum in Matanzas is dedicated to the most diverse cultural manifestations with many samples of unique quality. The museum has a room in which we can find paintings and engravings from Matanzas, corresponding to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as pieces of universal art from France, England and Holland. The other two permanent exhibition rooms recreate typical wealthy familiy dining and living rooms during the Republican era through furniture, porcelain, glass, metals, ivory, European ceramics, watches... But without doubt one of the great merits of this institution is to cherish one of the most complete collections of African art in the country with around 340 pieces from 80 ethnic groups from 14 countries in Africa, with a variety of sculptures, liturgical drums, masks, seats, chests and tissues. The museum also has a temporary room where the work of Cuban and universal artists is promoted and a sculpture courtyard which is used to many cultural activities. More events on:

Ceramic Sales and Exhibitions

If you are in Varadero and looking for nice ceramics, the Ceramic Gallery is the indicated place to visit. All kind of jars, vases, plates, tea pots and other adornments may be found here, all of them with beautiful designs and different colors. A venue to list in your agenda if you want to buy classy souvenirs for your family and friends, instead of the common ones you may find at the craft fairs. More events on:

Finca La Coincidencia

La Coincidencia country farm is located in an area whose inhabitants called Guasimal del Toro. In there, we have one of the most important cultural projects in the country, which was initiated in the nineties by the family of craftsmen Correa. In this sort of school-workshop-gallery- agricultural farm coexist pictorial and ceramic pieces with hundreds of timber and fruit trees, bamboo and varieties of maize, beans, bananas, medicinal plants, coffee, okra, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin... Since 2002 this place is the seat of the internationally renowned event Arte del Fuego and its Sculpture Garden is one of the biggest attractions for its harmony and beauty. Monthly, this agro-ecological and sustainable production farm is visited through Paradiso cultural tourism agency, for about 300 tourists from different countries, plus curious Cubans and foreigners. Do not lose the opportunity to be one of them. More events on: