Arcapacha

ARCAPACHA is a traditional cacao farm and art residency center based close by the small village of Yopal in the Tolima region of Cundinamarca’s province, and created in 2009 by the Colombian artist Germán Bernal.

The space is thought of as a natural laboratory for artists and researchers working with agricultural, ecological, and social disciplines.

“Arca means art, reforestation, community and agriculture and Pacha, the earth. This is a residency that emphasizes on the land, on environmental art, on the care of the water, of the land, of the air, and of the native forest,” explains Germán Bernal.

In addition to focus on the production of environmental contemporary arts, ARCAPACHA actively works towards the protection of the local ecosystems and biodiversity, and the reforestation of native flora in an effort to regenerate the regional forests. It also participates in the stimulation of the rural sociocultural and educational panorama, and the economic growth of the region and its inhabitants, notably through the creation of cooperatives for the international marketing of local cacao productions.

“Somehow, it is very important for artists to realize the value of this place as biodiversity, as native crops, as native forest because the native forest is disappearing more and more. They are cutting it down, they are deforesting it, and this is a laboratory where we are going to start bringing groups to teach them about cocoa. We are going to have some trails to see what types of trees are present in this region, and in this way, it is not only going to be a space to do projects but also an educational place,” indicates Germán Bernal.

ARCAPACHA’s residency program welcomes visual artists, photographers, filmmakers, theater groups, sculptors, land artists, painters, illustrators, as well as ecologists, educators, biologists, and researchers wishing to work around the subjects of environment, cacao, water, the Pachamama, or with the local communities.

“Let's say that we focus a little more on environmental art than on modern or contemporary art, and for me, art is a work that has a very relevant importance because it is the diffusion of knowledge, and I think it is very connected with the environment,” confides Germán Bernal. 

Artists, one by one, will be hosted for periods of stay varying from three to eight weeks in a private room. Groups of up to four artists are also possible in shared rooms. They will have access to collective workshop spaces, a library, a carpentry, and local and regional materials. They will also be able to use the communal kitchen, or they can choose all included plans with various daily meals a day, vegetarian option available, from $10 to $20 by day.

In addition, artists will receive professional accompaniment in the realization of their projects, and they may decide to take hourly-based consulting and communication services if they wish to organize an exhibition or presentation of their work in Colombia. In any case, they can organize or participate in expeditions, workshops, yoga sessions, community building actions, or farm activities during their stay.

Interested artists can apply all year long by sending a curriculum vitae, a body of their latest artworks, and a project proposal.