Bogotá and Rio de Janeiro street artists unite in graffiti collaboration

In a vibrant exchange of urban art and culture, artists from Bogotá and Rio de Janeiro are joining forces to create one kilometer of graffiti and murals across both cities, marking a historic collaboration that unites two of Latin America’s renowned artistic hubs. The initiative, led by Bogotá’s District Institute of the Arts (Idartes) and Brazil’s Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy, began its interventions in Bogotá on October 24, centered in the bustling locality of Los Mártires.

Five prominent Bogotá-based artists – ‘Arteaga,’ ‘Ark Animalium,’ ‘Lili Cuca,’ ‘Robs Oner,’ and ‘Nats Garu’ – have been selected from a pool of 65 applicants as part of the Museo Abierto de Bogotá Scholarship Program, an exchange with Brazil’s iconic cultural capital, Rio de Janeiro. These Bogotá artists, known for their compelling use of space and community-centric themes, will work alongside five equally skilled Cariocas: Bruno Lyfe, Cazé, Jeff Seon, Pablo Malafaia, and Toz Viana. Together, these artists are set on transforming city streets, starting with Bogotá and moving to Rio de Janeiro, creating shared expressions of urban culture that will culminate in an expansion of Bogotá’s Museo Abierto de Bogotá (MAB) and the Virtual Museum Diego Felipe Becerra Lizarazo.

The project emphasizes community collaboration, with artists working closely with residents of neighborhoods Santa Fe and La Favorita to ensure the murals reflect collective stories and voices. “The Museo Abierto de Bogotá continues to grow. This time, we’re bringing together the work of Bogotá and Rio artists to create art that truly belongs to the community. The collaboration stems from an agreement between the Bogotá administration and the government of Rio de Janeiro,” explained María Claudia Parias, director of Idartes.

Art on a Monumental Scale

In Bogotá, the murals will be painted on the Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central, a historically and architecturally significant site designated a National Monument in 1984. Once the city’s first school of arts and crafts, the building provides an ideal canvas, honoring Bogotá’s tradition of blending cultural heritage with contemporary artistry.

The collaborative process between artists from the two cities is designed to amplify the social impact of urban art. “Graffiti and urban art, beyond their aesthetic allure, foster social cohesion and convey strong community messages. In this case, the works form part of an urban intervention that will leave a legacy of exchange in the urban art landscape of Latin America,” said Parias. She stressed that the co-creation activities – ongoing since early October – engage the community directly, creating a dialogue between artists and residents that deepens the creative impact and roots the murals in local identity.

Launched as an open space for public art, the Museo Abierto de Bogotá showcases local creativity in some of the city’s most visible areas. The MAB now includes works by over 1,000 artists, transforming prominent Bogotá thoroughfares – such as Carreras 7, 10, 13, and 14 and Calles 26 and 80 – into vibrant corridors of expression. It also has 15 underpasses where art greets residents and visitors alike.

For the current project, Idartes will form pairs, each composed of one Bogotá artist and one from Rio, with designs crafted in dialogue with the community through workshops, meetings, and events. Parias emphasized the importance of such activities, noting that “the workshops and co-creation efforts create spaces for discussion and reflection that enrich the city’s artistic practices and culture.”

The project exemplifies Bogotá’s status as a global hub for street art, bolstered by the partnership with Rio de Janeiro, another prominent center for urban creativity. As Parias added, “Thanks to these actions, our city is further cementing its reputation in the international urban art scene, side by side with Rio de Janeiro, one of the greats in the field. Here, our artists will be co-creating and exchanging knowledge with their Brazilian counterparts and with local communities.”

In addition to the honor of participating in this transformative project, each Bogotá artist will receive a stipend of COP$50 million pesos to support their work and travel to Rio de Janeiro for the upcoming interventions. A series of public events will further commemorate this cultural exchange: On October 30 at 6 p.m., the artists will gather for a discussion at Galería Santa Fe in Bogotá, followed by a second event on November 29 at Casa França in Rio de Janeiro.

The urban venture exemplifies the expanding role of public art as a form of cultural diplomacy, bridging borders through common narratives. As Bogotá and Rio de Janeiro’s cityscapes become richer with this shared artistic language, the hope is that this initiative will inspire future exchanges that strengthen Latin America’s cultural ties.

This collaborative spirit is embodied in the Museo Abierto de Bogotá, which invites active public involvement in designing, creating, and exhibiting artwork on city streets. Through this latest project, Bogotá residents and visitors alike are offered a living, evolving museum – a dynamic, open-air gallery that captures the pulse of the city and its people, as well as the vibrant dialogue between two cosmopolitan cities.