As part of an ambitious strategy to reclaim public space and enhance cultural heritage, the Ministry of Culture and Youth has launched the project “Art on Walls.” This initiative will transform the façades of two of the country’s most emblematic cultural centers into platforms for open creativity, integrating contemporary art with the nation’s historical memory.

The project involves an investment exceeding ₡32 million and focuses on the artistic intervention of the façades of the National Center for Culture (CENAC) and the Casa del Artista School. Far from being a simple aesthetic enhancement, the project seeks to democratize access to art by allowing cultural expressions to move beyond enclosed spaces and engage directly with passersby in their everyday lives.

The interventions are the result of a national public competition that invited artists and collectives with experience working on heritage surfaces. The selected proposals were evaluated by a panel of experts from various national museums, based on criteria of conceptual strength and architectural respect:

Canvas of Identity: One of the interventions on the southern wall of CENAC pays tribute to intangible cultural heritage, using the figure of the weaver as a symbol of the construction of national identity, weaving together traditions such as Chorotega ceramics, calypso, and traditional ox-cart culture.

Dialogue with Nature: The façade of the Casa del Artista School will explore the natural language of art, while the northern wall of CENAC will host a work titled for its resonance with the surrounding environment and collective memory.

Given the historical value of the buildings, the process includes a specialized technical phase. Prior to the execution of the murals, deep cleaning, crack sealing, and the application of high-adhesion materials are carried out to ensure the durability of the works without compromising the integrity of the stone and original materials of the buildings. The entire process is supervised by the Directorate of Cultural Heritage.

The works began during the first week of February 2026, following this intervention schedule:

• Start at Casa del Artista: Artistic work began on February 2.
• Start at CENAC: Intervention on the northern and southern walls began on February 3.
• Completion timeline: The murals are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of the year, becoming a new tourist and cultural point of interest in the capital.

Through this initiative, downtown San José strengthens its position as a living cultural corridor. “Art on Walls” not only revitalizes historic buildings but also promotes a “walkable culture,” strengthening the relationship between citizens and their environment and history through contemporary muralism