Where to Go During ArtBo Bogotá, the Art Basel of Latin America

Every October, art world insiders gather at vibrant galleries and convivial museums in Bogotá, Colombia. Though the whole month is an art celebration, festivities reach a fever pitch from October 25 to 28 for ArtBo, a cultural showcase hailed as the premiere international art fair in Latin America. Since Bogotá’s Chamber of Commerce launched the fair in 2005, the number of art galleries in Bogotá has tripled, cementing the city’s rightful place on the art world map. This year marks the 14th edition of the fair, which unites national and international galleries, curators, and the public to glimpse works by artists from across the globe.

Festivities kick off on Thursday, October 25 at the fair’s hub at Corferias, Bogotá’s convention center, where 70 galleries from 17 countries will present works by more than 350 artists, forming a platform to discuss artistic trends worldwide.

Here, your guide to the fair, plus not-to-miss museums and galleries off the beaten path.

Where to Start
At Corferias, the fair will play host to a wide range of artistic formats across 8 sections, including Artecámara, a platform featuring works by 30 young, emerging Colombian artists; and Referentes, a hub for women and queer artists in contemporary art. At the center’s Gran Salón, wander between galleries from Cuba and Denmark, Peru and Turkey (and many more). Other spaces will be dedicated to literary arts, workshops to raise public awareness of contemporary art, and a series of panels, talks, and performances. Check the schedule for the latest programing.

Must-Visit Museums
After you’ve spent ample time at Corferias, be sure to drop by Bogotá’s established museums, including Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá (the Museum of Modern Art, known for short as MAMBO). The building, designed by prominent architect Rogelio Salmona and built in the 1980s, is home to sculpture courtyards and four floors of gallery space with contemporary pieces by notable Colombian artists like Olga de Amaral, Jim Amaral, and Ricardo Cárdenas, alongside works by industry icons like Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. At Museo Nacional de Colombia (National Museum of Colombia), browse over 2,500 works in one of the oldest museums in the Americas. Originally built as a prison in 1823, the imposing, columned fortress is the perfect locale for a deep-dive into Colombia’s past and present culture. Don’t miss the museum’s dedicated Afro-Caribbean art, pre-Colombian artifacts section, and an expansive collection of relics from the country’s Spanish Colonial era. Be sure to visit the Banco de la República's museum complex, which houses Museo Botero; you can view over 123 works by famed Colombian artist Fernando Botero, who is known for creating chubby figures: mustached men, birds, and hands. Finally, visit Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), which contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold and the revered Offering Room exhibit, depicting a shamanic religious ceremony using tens of thousands of golden artifacts.

The Galleries to Know
Following the establishment of ArtBo, Bogotá’s budding creative scene has grown to include over 80 galleries across the city. Whether housed in ramshackle industrial buildings or posh converted mansions, set your sights on the neighborhoods in and around greater Chapinero (often regarded as the Brooklyn of Bogotá), where most of the galleries are clustered. Begin at Galería Sextante, founded in 1981 by María Eugenia Niño and Luis Ángel Parra. Here, the gallerists host graphic art workshops and foster the development of contemporary Latin American artists. Nearby in San Felipe is world-revered Instituto de Vision, where director Beatriz López presents a program of public art that goes beyond the walls of the gallery to spark original perspectives and micro-revolutions. Venture to the border of Chapinero and Teusaquillo for under-the-radar, artist-owned Miami, a gallery where emerging creatives showcase experimental works during energetic parties. End with a coffee on the library terrace of Galería La Cometain Chicó Norte, where Esteban Jaramillo Flórez showcases a range of pieces—from hyper-realistic sculptures to murals—by young Colombian and Latin American artists.