By Carola Rico
Santa María del Obraje Art, Culture, and Entertainment is a new art, culture, and entertainment space in San Miguel de Allende under the direction of Jorge Barajas. The goal of the venue is to showcase the depths of Mexican culture and to appeal to everyone who loves culture and the arts, regardless of their nationality, age, or tastes.
San Miguel has not had such spaces in the past. «My perception is that art has been diluted because tourism and gastronomy businesses have surpassed us and generate more income, but it is time to return to the heart of what we like about the city,» said Barajas.
Within this project a visitor can find a common thread between art and its surroundings, recognizing that art does not exist in isolation. One of the opportunities that Barajas is looking forward in Santa María del Obraje, is the possibility of offering quality entertainment for San Miguel’s children. The children have been neglected in this regard, and he is hoping for interactive events for children to work with clay, perform plastic arts, watch children’s plays in English and Spanish. In the meantime, adults can enjoy open-air concerts, good food and plays as well. The goal is to get people interested and visit this space which has been created for the whole family.
Barajas wants events to be offered continuously so that San Miguel residents and visitors begin to identify Santa María del Obraje as a place of healthy cultural entertainment. Another plus, is that they can also eat well here. Barajas is working with municipal authorities such as Civil Protection and the Environment and Sustainability Department to offer a safe space for the entire community.
Barajas has extensive experience in creating cultural spaces, and he is aware of the needs and demands of his target audience. He is also well informed about requirements imposed by the authorities. Most of the events will be held at a suitable time to avoid disturbing the residents of the area. Santa María del Obraje aims to be an intimate place with small groups of people participating at any given time. «The intention is not to put in a thousand people, fill our pockets, and leave. It is to be a little more responsible in the long term,» shared Barajas. He wants to give back to San Miguel what he received as a child.
Now that we are coming out of a pandemic, which has been painful for everyone, he is happy in finding a space such as this. It is made up of two outdoor areas, and an amphitheater that can comfortably fit 350 people, particularly when you can enjoy high-quality cultural events. The search for events has been easy. When the artists see the beautiful space, they are the ones who come to offer their talents and propose interesting events. However, putting everything together is still a bit complicated because a lot of work is needed: looking for private security, having first aid, signage, and communication with the municipality.
The contract for events at this venue was signed and has been in effect since February 2. In spite of the short time of their operation, they have achieved more than they had imagined. On February 26, the first concert was held with Lady Zen, a soul singer who lives in San Miguel. The show was sold out in eight days. The concert was a complete a success with a happy audience of 300 people who were immersed in the show for two hours.
Another concert is scheduled for April 1st with Magos Herrera, a highly recognized international jazz player. She spends most of her time in New York, where she has a center for artistic generation. During the concert she will be accompanied by an international ensemble. This is a major achievement because the ensemble was part of the Chamber Music Festival. People from the festival became interested in the space and came to see it to decide whether they could incorporate their program there next time. Thus, little by little, many events are being generated.
Barajas recently closed a deal with a specialist in event organization. During the week he would like to have events in gardening, yoga classes, coffee ceremonies, cocoa ceremonies, etc. and to see over time how the public reacts to these. The Center is about to close a deal with a Mexican expert based in San Miguel, who directed the Nigromante Cultural Center for several years. The hope is to create a space dedicated to art exhibitions. Barajas stressed that he does not intend to compete with Fabrica Aurora. He wants to bring sculpture artists whose actual work will be part of an art exhibition, instead of just a gallery. This can change every month. Santa María del Obraje wants to offer varied long-term artistic expressions and entertainment possibilities, for the diverse audiences of San Miguel and surroundings. Pablo Rodríguez, the owner, also has a very unique vision and he also contributes ideas and proposals.
Barajas is a representative of a company called Fila 19, which has been dedicated to producing events for the last 25 years. He first started doing corporate events related to the entertainment industry, such as cinema, in charge of big movie premieres and red carpet events at the National Auditorium in Mexico City. This allowed him to work with different artists and operate up to three times a year. The Center seeks to produce interactive content for children with the help of the State Institute of Culture.
Finally, we invite you to visit this great Santa María del Obraje Center, located at Del Obraje 4, in Santa Cecilia. They intend to provide you with an incredible experience and hope you enjoy the wide variety of events that it offers you. Surround yourself with an intimate space for the whole family.
