Seville has always had its fair share of magic and an indomitable spirit, and now, thanks to the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento hotel, the city has found a new setting in which to go on reinventing itself. This is Art Hub, a project in collaboration with the University of Seville’s Fine Arts faculty which, from October this year, will place local art in the limelight and at the centre of conversation, not just here in the capital of Andalusia, but also among international visitors to this flagship hotel. From painting through sculpture and ceramics, to fashion, Art Hub will be a creative sanctuary where ideas can come to life, allowing upcoming and established artists alike to show their work, tell its story, and share their creative processes with a diverse public.
- A sanctuary for art in modern-day Seville
- Artistic grants and competitions: the driver for local talent
- Art and business: a surprising combination
- A showcase for Seville’s art
- Why is Art Hub an essential visit?
A sanctuary for art in modern-day Seville
Far from clinging to the comfort of the familiar, Art Hub is taking risks. Located in a hotel that is already famous as the setting for great events and international conferences, the mission of this project is to blend Seville’s more traditional side with the contemporary growing art scene of its streets. So, if you are a traveller looking for something beyond tapas and flamenco, you will find a powerful dose of creativity in this corner.
“Art is not just confined to museums or galleries: it is meant to be found everywhere. Everything is art”, commented the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento’s manager, Andrés González, about this project which is organised within Barceló ReGen’s ESG strategy to boost the local economy and to promote culture.
Exhibitions rotate throughout the year, with artists who use the hotel as a canvas for their creations. But it is not simply a matter of hanging pictures on the walls: the artists can leave their mark in every corner of the hotel, from its spacious lounges to the public areas, designing artistic experiences that aim to leave visitors open-mouthed with wonder.
Artistic grants and competitions: the driver for local talent
One of the most exciting aspects of this project is its direct support for the new generation of creative talents. The two annual residency fellowships offered by Art Hub in partnership with the University of Seville’s Fine Arts Faculty, are not merely a golden opportunity for fledgling artists: they are also an encouragement for them to dream big. The resident artists will have the entire hotel at their disposal as a creative space, in addition to financial support to produce their projects. Just imagine creating art in a five-star setting!
As if that wasn’t enough, every year a national painting competition is held in which the hotel becomes a veritable art gallery. The works selected not only receive prizes, but go on to form part of the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento’s private art collection. So, if you are interested in contemporary art, you won’t want to miss what is going on within the walls of this hotel.
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Art and business: a surprising combination
The Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento is famous for its full calendar of conferences and events, including everything from meetings on scientific subjects to high-level business gatherings. What makes Art Hub special is that it will connect the corporate world with art – through either particular or site-specific collaborations. The project has begun to introduce art-related activities into these events, bringing art to areas where it is least expected. Imagine attending a conference where the walls come to life thanks to an artistic installation created for that particular moment. This connection is also a way of forging links between communities that at first sight seem far apart, but which, deep down, have much in common: innovation, creativity and the desire to leave a mark.
A showcase for Seville’s art
Art Hub is more than a pretext for local artists to show their work: it is an international shop window. The hotel welcomes visitors from all over the world, and every one of those visitors has the opportunity to discover Seville’s artistic gems in this unique setting. For the creative talents, it is a golden opportunity to put their work in front of a new and varied public, while interested travellers can take away a different impression of the city, far beyond the usual tourist interests or the classic monuments such as La Giralda or the Golden Tower.
This initiative cements the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento’s cultural and artistic vocation — in 2023, it was already working with one of the most internationally renowned figures from the world of flamenco dance, Cristina Hoyos, who was born in Seville and who took visitors to the local flamenco venues that had influenced her life.
From exhibitions to collaborative initiatives and special projects, Art Hub is a reminder that Seville is still a hothouse of creativity and talent, and that the city’s art still has so much more to offer.
¿Por qué Art Hub es una parada obligatoria?
Imagine strolling through the hotel, and enjoying a coffee when you come across a sculpture that you never expected to find there, or discovering an art installation in the lounge where, hours earlier, a technology conference was taking place. That is the Art Hub experience. Its innovative focus, its capacity to adapt and the variety of works exhibited makes this space an essential stop-off for anyone looking for something extra on their visit to Seville.
