Centro de Arte La Estancia
The Centro de Arte La Estancia (officially PDVSA Centro de Arte La Estancia) is a cultural centre in Venezuela with venues in Caracas and Punto Fijo. Its mandate includes the restoration, promotion and dissemination of the country's historical and artistic heritage, as well as support for social development programmes and the strengthening of Venezuelan cultural identity.
The Caracas venue is housed in a former colonial hacienda in the Altamira district, while the Punto Fijo venue is located in a quinta in the Punta Cardón community.
History
The Caracas property of the centre occupies the grounds of a colonial-era hacienda in the urbanización Altamira, in the Chacao Municipality of metropolitan Caracas. The Punto Fijo site occupies a residence in the Comunidad Cardón of Falcón state.
From 2003 onward, in the aftermath of the 2002–2003 Venezuelan oil strike, management of the centre was transferred to the national oil company PDVSA. From that point the institution adopted its current corporate name, PDVSA Centro de Arte La Estancia.
Activities
The centre hosts national and international art exhibitions, with a particular focus on photography, design and three-dimensional art. It also stages theatre productions, concerts, seminars, competitions and conferences.
After 2003 the institution expanded its public programming, opening musical training nuclei at its venues in coordination with state-run cultural initiatives.
Gardens
The Caracas venue is also notable for its gardens, which contain more than 120 botanical species and are open to the public as a green space within the city.
See also
- Culture of Venezuela
- List of museums in Venezuela
- PDVSA