Arquetopia Oaxaca

Now in its 15th year, Arquetopia Foundation is a multiple award-winning nonprofit arts and academic foundation with an international presence across three continents. Dedicated to critical thinking, reciprocity, and ethics in artistic practices, Arquetopia offers professional International Artist-in-Residence Programs that are among the most respected globally. These programs are research-based, autonomous, and tailored to promote social creativity, integrating local knowledge and critical academic perspectives. Residencies are hosted in culturally and historically significant locations: Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, Cusco in Peru, and Naples in Italy.

Arquetopia challenges conventional ideas of history and place by learning from local epistemologies and models of resistance. It fosters a dynamic environment for addressing vital questions about art history and global challenges, emphasizing ethical practices over extractive or colonial traditions in art residencies. Drawing on thinkers like Emmanuel Levinas, Knud Logstrup, and Audre Lorde, Arquetopia redefines “artistic mobility” as a means for meaningful change.

Since its founding in 2009 by Mexican visual artist Francisco Guevara and North American classical musician Chris Davis, Arquetopia has grown from an educational art center in Puebla to a global reference in sustainable, research-driven residencies. Hosting over 1,100 artists and scholars from 100+ countries, its programs provide substantial mentoring, academic content, and collaborative opportunities in premier workspaces. Entirely independent and self-sustaining, Arquetopia proudly remains unaffiliated with any political or industrial entities, committed solely to its mission of social transformation through art.