by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:22 PM ET, Tue October 29, 2019
Discover Puerto Rico (DPR) has teamed up with a team of local urban mural artists to launch an art initiative designed to publicize the island's distinctive art scene and establish Puerto Rico's art culture as a feature of travel to the destination.
Under DPR's "Blank Canvas Initiative," exterior building walls around Puerto Rico will be painted white, with "Reserved for ____" signs fronting the now-blank walls.
The white walls will subsequently serve as "larger than life blank canvas invitation[s]" for internationally known urban mural artists, DPR officials said. Artists are being invited to travel to Puerto Rico to adorn the walls with their original creations alongside a group of Puerto Rican street artists.
Puerto Rico native Alexis Bousquet, founder of the Santurce es Ley street art festival, is presently identifying exterior spaces across Puerto Rico for blank walls and "reserved for" signs, said DPR officials. A "variety of walls" have already been identified across the island, including in Santurce and Culebra, DPR officials said.
Working with local artists Celso González, Vero Rivera and Bob Snow, Bousquet's search includes San Juan's Santurce neighborhood, well-known locally for its engaging street art. "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," said Bousquet.
"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, DPR's CEO. "In addition to Santurce es Ley, our Island offers many options for travelers looking for rich arts and culture to be inspired."
"We are using this as an offer to global talent, inviting them to paint alongside the local legends of Puerto Rico," added Ingrid Rosa, a DPR spokesperson. Rosa said DPR is covering travel and hospitality costs and sponsoring "experiences on the ground" for the featured artists.
DPR will also highlight "the incredible offerings on the island while [artists] are visiting and contributing their works of alongside the local talent of the Island," Rosa said.
The initiative is intended to focus traveler attention on Puerto Rico's world-class art scene and culture, which features distinguished art museums, fine art galleries and a variety of events, including the annual MECA Art Fair, billed as the Caribbean's largest, scheduled for November 21 to 24 in Puerto Rico's Old San Juan district.
Puerto Rico also offers an extensive network of independent collectors, curators, skilled artisans and numerous talented street artists. DPR officials say the new artwork created via the Blank Canvas Initiative will debut during Puerto Rico's festive holiday season, a high point for visitation to the island.
Puerto Rico's holiday celebrations culminate with the Calles de San Sebastian festival, featuring thousands of visitors and locals gathering in streets of Old San Juan and other districts for parades with elaborate cabezudos ("big head") costumes, live music, dancing, local drinks and food, and creations from local artisans.
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