FAQs

In general, there are six to ten artists in residence in the main residency house at any given time, as well as two to three full-time staff members and several volunteers. Very often, there are ten to sixteen people around the dinner table!

1. By Bus

You can take a bus from Terminal Salitre in Bogotá.

Important: Make sure you buy a ticket to San Bernardo, Cundinamarca, as there are several towns named San Bernardo in Colombia.

Please note that the last buses usually depart around 4:00 PM, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.

2. Private Car Service

We can arrange a private transfer from Bogotá directly to ArteSumapaz for approximately COP 420,000 per vehicle.

Payment should be made in cash directly to the driver after the journey.

If you need to withdraw cash, the driver can stop at an ATM along the way before arriving at ArteSumapaz.

NOTE: driving up to ArteSumapaz from Bogota can be as quick as 2-1/2 hours in the middle of the night – but during the day, it can take several hours more. There is a lot of construction going on in Colombia these days!

Art supplies of decent quality are difficult to purchase here – in general, we advise bringing as much as you think you’ll need. There are some shops in Bogotá, but anything of decent quality has been imported, and is thus priced more to cover shipping and taxes. Seriously, bring art supplies. We do not sell artist materials at ArteSumapaz.

For the time being, US Amazon has been offering free delivery and without duty on some items. We have an address in Bogotá to which you can safely have things shipped, and then someone can bring it up from the city.

Some of the better shops in Bogotá:

• Guerrero Tienda de Arte – on Calle 45 with Cra 19 in Bogotá
• Belle Chantraine
• Panamericana – multiple locations in Bogotá

For paintings, artists generally work on temporary stretchers, and then roll the paintings. Silicone release paper can be handy for lining the paintings.

• Water bottle(s) – there isn’t drinking water in the studios, so it can be great to be able to bring your own supply from the main house while you’re working.
• Shoes or boots for hiking – keep those ankles covered!
• A good hat for the sun
• Sunscreen
• Audiophones: we work really hard to keep all spaces peaceful and quiet so folks can work.
• Mosquito net for hat – some people have found these handy while hiking
• Any sorts of creams or lotions that you really like – these things can be difficult to get here

The kitchen at ArteSumapaz is a vegetarian kitchen. Absolutely no meat is cooked in the kitchen or using kitchen utensils. For some of you, that’s great, but for others, you might get a bit frustrated if this is not your personal norm.

Carnivores: You can purchase sandwich meats and keep them in the communal refrigerator, or take a tuk-tuk into town and partake in one of the famous grilled meat plates of Colombia.

Vegans: The majority of our plates are vegan, although occasionally we do add some egg or dairy. Eggs are frequently the mainstay of breakfasts here, although we usually have granola and fruits available too.  If you’re vegan, you might need to step in and help with your meals. 

In Bogotá. We’ve heard of two good labs:

• FanLab – https://fanlab.com.co/web/equipo/
• Pixela – https://www.instagram.com/pixela_sas

It IS possible to ship either to the center or to our address in Bogota. In Bogota, things are a bit safer, as there is a doorman to receive packages, and they are stored in a garage until someone can bring them up. IF you use this address, please make sure that no fees will be due upon delivery. That address is:

{YOUR NAME]
Crump/ArteSumapaz
Cra 3 #77-89
Bogotá 110221
COLOMBIA

Less certain is sending packages to the center itself. Typically, packages end up in one of the places in town that receive packages – but we often don’t know which! On a couple of occasions, we have found someone hollering to us that a package has been received!

ArteSumapaz
Hacienda Australia, via Portones a Pandi
San Bernardo, Cundinamarca
COLOMBIA

We still advocate that when possible you bring as much of your materials with you in your plane luggage!

Please keep in mind that Colombia does not have a nationalized mail system such as you might find in your home country.

We’ve heard that https://fanlab.com.co/ is a good option.

We do not have a printer available for artists. It is, however, easy to bring files to a stationery shop in San Bernardo where you can get files printed in black and white or in color.

One dog and two cats!

The animals here are all rescues: Guaricha is our resident dog, and the cats are Yuca and Cookie.

Very! We endeavor to avoid or recycle plastics, and ask residents to help out in that effort. We also ask that people turn off lights when not in use, and to use soaps that are not harmful to the environment.

Oh, yes. We’re in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world, and that includes all sorts of wasps, ants, spiders, snakes, and land crabs, and more. You need to exercise reasonable caution when hiking in the region, and wear long hiking pants and even boots. If you have a known allergy to stings (bees, wasps, etc) physicians recommend that you always travel with a dose of epinephrine.

Interestingly, one of the most dangerous critters to come into contact with here is a type of caterpillar (Lonomia).

The weather at ArteSumapaz tends to be temperate all year round, with rainy and dry seasons. It’s rather difficult to say whether we’ll be in our rainy time or dry time (pretty much the two seasons we tend to have), as for whether global warming or the “el niño/la niña” (https://www.climate.gov/enso .)  weather patterns are having play, But what I can say is that our most rainy season, whenever that might be, tends to be pleasant. We’ll get gray days, and precipitation for an hour or so, but never so cool as to merit a sweater after the early morning. But it really has been off from those official charts of what we should be expecting.

WEATHER BY MONTH // WEATHER AVERAGES FUSAGASUGÁ

The difference in precipitation between the driest month and the wettest month is 192 mm | 8 inch. The variation in temperatures throughout the year is 0.8 °C | 1.4 °F.

The month with the highest relative humidity is November (85.60 %). The month with the lowest relative humidity is September (74.39 %).

The month with the highest number of rainy days is April (23.10 days). The month with the lowest number of rainy days is January (17.07 days).

Fusagasugá are in the middle and the summers are that easy to define.

The staff at ArteSumapaz is bilingual. Sometimes, residents really want to improve their Spanish, so we tend to focus on speaking spanish at the table or in other settings. At other times, the consensus leans towards English, and the native Colombians get to improve their English. And sometimes it just all devolves into a good old-fashioned “spanglish,” as we all discover new ways to express ourselves. So, it’s up to each individual; if you want to improve or learn spanish, we can make that happen.

We have Starlink now! This means the quality of the internet has improved quite a bit, and folks are normally able to make Zoom calls. When there is extreme cloud cover, such as in a rainstorm, it can function less well.

Also, you need to understand that the Wifi at ArteSumapaz is not available in all spaces, but is centered on the Granero building.

IF you look about the house, or with friends, and see any books or DVDs you´re no longer using and would like to find a home for; we are always seeking donations of those things. The same for old electronics – as people here in Colombia can always use those things, as they can be terribly expensive for them to purchase. 

Each room has at least two outlets in each room. The electrical system is the same as that of the US. If you’re coming from a country that has another system, you’ll want to bring a converter.

1. By Bus

You can take a bus from Terminal Salitre in Bogotá.

Important: Make sure you buy a ticket to San Bernardo, Cundinamarca, as there are several towns named San Bernardo in Colombia.

Please note that the last buses usually depart around 4:00 PM, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.

2. Private Car Service

We can arrange a private transfer from Bogotá directly to ArteSumapaz for approximately COP 420,000 per vehicle.

Payment should be made in cash directly to the driver after the journey.

If you need to withdraw cash, the driver can stop at an ATM along the way before arriving at ArteSumapaz.

NOTE: driving up to ArteSumapaz from Bogota can be as quick as 2-1/2 hours in the middle of the night – but during the day, it can take several hours more. There is a lot of construction going on in Colombia these days!

Art supplies of decent quality are difficult to purchase here – in general, we advise bringing as much as you think you’ll need. There are some shops in Bogotá, but anything of decent quality has been imported, and is thus priced more to cover shipping and taxes. Seriously, bring art supplies. We do not sell artist materials at ArteSumapaz.

For the time being, US Amazon has been offering free delivery and without duty on some items. We have an address in Bogotá to which you can safely have things shipped, and then someone can bring it up from the city.

Some of the better shops in Bogotá:

• Guerrero Tienda de Arte – on Calle 45 with Cra 19 in Bogotá
• Belle Chantraine
• Panamericana – multiple locations in Bogotá

For paintings, artists generally work on temporary stretchers, and then roll the paintings. Silicone release paper can be handy for lining the paintings.

• Water bottle(s) – there isn’t drinking water in the studios, so it can be great to be able to bring your own supply from the main house while you’re working.
• Shoes or boots for hiking – keep those ankles covered!
• A good hat for the sun
• Sunscreen
• Audiophones: we work really hard to keep all spaces peaceful and quiet so folks can work.
• Mosquito net for hat – some people have found these handy while hiking
• Any sorts of creams or lotions that you really like – these things can be difficult to get here

You will be given a 3-month tourist visa upon entering Colombia. You can extend it for another 90 days in the calendar year.

The kitchen at ArteSumapaz is a vegetarian kitchen. Absolutely no meat is cooked in the kitchen or using kitchen utensils. For some of you, that’s great, but for others, you might get a bit frustrated if this is not your personal norm.

Carnivores: You can purchase sandwich meats and keep them in the communal refrigerator, or take a tuk-tuk into town and partake in one of the famous grilled meat plates of Colombia.

Vegans: The majority of our plates are vegan, although occasionally we do add some egg or dairy. Eggs are frequently the mainstay of breakfasts here, although we usually have granola and fruits available too.  If you’re vegan, you might need to step in and help with your meals. 

Sometimes there might be someone at the airline, or even at immigration control in Colombia that might insist. Many travelers purchase a refundable return ticket before heading to the airport.

Fairly easy. Most people have been able to extend it online at best, and at worst, have had to make a run into the city to visit migraciones.

1. By Bus

You can take a bus from Terminal Salitre in Bogotá.

Important: Make sure you buy a ticket to San Bernardo, Cundinamarca, as there are several towns named San Bernardo in Colombia.

Please note that the last buses usually depart around 4:00 PM, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.

2. Private Car Service

We can arrange a private transfer from Bogotá directly to ArteSumapaz for approximately COP 420,000 per vehicle.

Payment should be made in cash directly to the driver after the journey.

If you need to withdraw cash, the driver can stop at an ATM along the way before arriving at ArteSumapaz.

NOTE: driving up to ArteSumapaz from Bogota can be as quick as 2-1/2 hours in the middle of the night – but during the day, it can take several hours more. There is a lot of construction going on in Colombia these days!

You will be given a 3-month tourist visa upon entering Colombia. You can extend it for another 90 days in the calendar year.

Sometimes there might be someone at the airline, or even at immigration control in Colombia that might insist. Many travelers purchase a refundable return ticket before heading to the airport.