Latest News

Bogotá’s International Sacred Music Festival Returns with Four Weeks of ‘Glory’

By Richard Emblin - September 4, 2025

Bogotá will host the 14th International Sacred Music Festival from September 10 to October 5, featuring 750 artists from 16 countries in 40 concerts, lectures, and workshops. Centered on the theme “La Gloria,” the festival spans 20 venues, with Verdi’s Nabucco opening and Brahms’s German Requiem closing.

Bogotá Strikes a Chord with Bach 340 Festival

By The City Paper Staff - August 27, 2025

Bogotá launches the first edition of Bogotá Concertante – Bach 340 (27–31 August 2025), a festival with 20 concerts, workshops and masterclasses across libraries, museums and theaters. Most events are free, celebrating Bach’s legacy and Colombia’s independent classical ensembles.

Juan Manuel Echavarría and the Haunting Silence of Memory

By Richard Emblin - July 25, 2025

In a powerful Bogotá exhibition, Colombian artist Juan Manuel Echavarría brings the country’s hidden war into view — through abandoned schoolrooms, war-scarred voices, and the quiet gaze of witness.

“Liturgies of the Body: The Collector’s Gaze” at Bogotá’s Casa Republicana

By Richard Emblin - June 19, 2025

The exhibition titled Liturgies of the Body: The Collector’s Gaze opens at Bogotá’s Casa Republicana, showcasing works from the Proyecto Bachué. Spanning 1960–1980, the private collection explores how the human body reflects power, trauma, and identity through experimental visual art.

Singapore's Business District and Parliament building. Photo: Richard EmblinSingapore's Business District and Parliament building. Photo: Richard Emblin

72 Hours in Singapore: Where Colonial Heritage Meets a New Tomorrow

By Richard Emblin - June 18, 2025

Singapore is where futuristic gardens meet colonial grandeur, and Michelin-starred hawker stalls share the stage with bold global cuisine. In 72 hours, explore sacred temples, shop Orchard Road, sip a Singapore Sling at Raffles, and watch sunsets from Marina Barrage—this city-state is a curated rush of heritage, skyline, and flavor.

Artist of Earth and Time: Colombian artist Hugo Zapata dies at 80

By Richard Emblin - June 3, 2025

Hugo Zapata (1945–2025), renowned Colombian sculptor, passed away at 80 in El Retiro. Known for monumental black stone works evoking earth and ancestral memory, Zapata transformed Colombia’s public art landscape. His elemental forms bridged nature and spirit, leaving behind a legacy carved in stone and rooted in timeless reflection.

Violin Contest of Bogotá spotlights Colombian composition with Jury of virtuosos

By Richard Emblin - May 13, 2025

Bogotá launches its first International Violin Competition, offering generous prizes and star-studded global jury. Twenty finalists will compete this November, with free masterclasses and donated violins benefiting young Colombian talents. Deadline for entries: May 31.

Bogotá’s ARTBO Weekend returns with expansive city circuits and focus on Contemporary Art

By Richard Emblin - April 23, 2025

ARTBO Weekend returns to Bogotá from April 25–27 with 86 exhibition spaces, six city circuits, and over 150 free events, transforming the capital into a hub of contemporary art, design, and editorial innovation

Seeds of Memory: MAMU tributes Colombia’s Biodiversity and Food Sovereignty

By The City Paper Staff - April 22, 2025

The Banco de la República’s Semana de las Semillas (Seed Week), held April 21–26 at MAMU in Bogotá, highlights seed preservation as biocultural heritage. Events in Santa Marta, Quibdó, and Buenaventura celebrate ancestral food traditions, agroecological knowledge, and community resistance to industrial agriculture.

Inside the Paradises and Enchanted Gardens of Colombian Art at MAMU

By The City Paper Staff - April 11, 2025

An exhibition at Bogotá’s Museo de Arte Miguel Urrutia (MAMU) traces centuries of Colombian artists’ relationship with nature – through oil, ink, watercolor and flowers.

Basque Ambassadors 2025: Eight Chefs redefine Euskadi’s culinary frontiers

By Richard Emblin - April 10, 2025

The Basque Ambassadors Awards 2025 tributed eight chefs who are more than culinary artists but also agents for social change. Through their dedication to tradition, innovation, and sustainability, they redefine the global gastronomic landscape, one dish at a time.

Memory, Territory, and Identity: The Art of Juliana Ríos

By The City Paper Staff - March 30, 2025

Colombian artist Juliana Río explores memory, nature, and identity in a new Bogotá exhibition hosted by Leon Tovar projects. Her evocative paintings capture the essence of La Guajira’s landscapes, blending tradition and personal narratives. The inauguration on March 19 was held at Torres Atrio in Bogotá.

Bogotá’s Teatro Colón stages climate change opera ‘Sun and Sea’

By The City Paper Staff - March 17, 2025

Bogotá’s Teatro Colón transforms into an artificial beach for Sun & Sea, the award-winning Lithuanian opera-performance addressing climate change and mass tourism. Running March 21-24, the immersive production blends music and environmental commentary, offering audiences a unique theatrical experience.

Bogotá’s iconic Teatro Mayor presents its 2025 season

By The City Paper Staff - February 6, 2025

Teatro Mayor celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2025 with a diverse program featuring top international performers, festivals, and collaborations. Highlights include classical music, dance, and theater productions, reinforcing its role as a premier cultural hub in Latin America.

Casa de Moneda’s new exhibition hall redefines Colombia’s Changing Image

By The City Paper Staff - December 13, 2024

The Museo Casa de Moneda in Bogotá, owned by Colombia’s Banco de la República, has opened a new exhibition titled 21st Century: A Country Changing Its Image. This marks the completion of a two-year renovation and explores Colombia’s evolving identity through nearly 300 artifacts, including coins and banknotes.

Idartes’ María Claudia Parias on Bogotá’s cultural platforms and vision for 2025

By Richard Emblin - December 13, 2024

María Claudia Parias of Bogotá’s Idartes is at the heart of transformative initiatives. From the Biennale of Art for Childhood to innovative public spaces for dance and music, the Colombian capital is not only a hub of creativity but a city that understands the importance of art as a tool for social cohesion and individual well-being.