An Evening of Art and Culture

 

When we go on our holidays it's all to easy to sit by the swimming pool or on the beach, never really venturing out very much beyond the nearest bar. Now whilst I fully understand that most of the time you want and need a relaxing break and to get a bit of sun, which doesn’t always happen in the UK. But you know many resorts have a huge selection of art galleries and museums to visit. At some parts of the day or on certain days of the week these can be free to visit or have a reduced entry cost.  Even if you had not planned on fitting some Art and Culture into your holiday, if you do make the effort to do this you will be in for a big reward. On Sunday afternoons and evening many of the leading galleries can be free. The most popular ones can have big queues, so see if you can pre-book or arrive early. One of my favourite art galleries also has a great bar with sea-views perfect for relaxing afterwards so you can have the best of both worlds.

If you do a bit of research before you go away, you will be surprised at how much there is to do and there really is something for every taste. One of my favourite events is the Nit de l'Art in Mallorca, hosted every year in the middle of September. This is Mallorca's Mediterranean version of the Nuit Blanche concept, which originated in Paris and many cities worldwide celebrate.

In Palma, for only one night a year, many of the art galleries and museums join together to celebrate the autumn arts and culture season and the inauguration of their exhibitions by transforming the city's historic old town into a treasure trove for art lovers on Saturday night. The event started in a small way in 1997 and has grown and grown ever since. Here's what they say about it;

La Nit de L'Art is a unique event which fuses the characteristic spirit of the traditional Spanish fiestas (where people of all ages get together in public squares and picturesque streets) to celebrate, the eclectic buzz of gallery openings and the excitement of a treasure hunt mapped out within the medieval walls of one of the most beautiful historic enclaves of the Mediterranean. Throughout a single evening, the historic quarter is taken over by the art world, with tens of thousands of visitors spilling out onto the pedestrian streets and alleyways to explore some of the most exciting exhibitions, performances and installations of the year.

If this is of interest to you can download a full programme with maps of all the galleries and museums taking part by clicking the link from the website. All the main museums and galleries take part; Solleric, Baluard, Miro, Misericordia, Sa Nostra and The Caixa forum. These are all open for free as well as performances and exhibitions in public spaces and squares like La Rambla, Plaza del Mercado, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Porta de Santa Catalina. The old town is transformed into an enormous open-air art exhibition. Bright young talents and seasoned professionals from the artistic community take advantage of every corner to show their work to the public. Bars, cafes, studios, rooftops, facades of historic buildings, shop windows and balconies. Many hotels get involved to and its great to have a wander through these too. it’s a wonderful opportunity to see inside buildings that are out of bounds like the City Hall. Some events take part on the same night in other parts of the island like in culture- loving Pollenca, so if you are not in Palma you still may be able to see events on a smaller scale

You can even enjoy a glass or two of Cava as you peruse the art. The event starts from 7:00 pm and the galleries will remain open until midnight. You can pick up a list and map of participating galleries throughout Palma in the tourist information or the galleries themselves. It’s a fun, busy night and very well-attended by the locals and visitors alike. You have to walk a bit, so not wearing heels is a good idea. But it’s a must for art-lovers and if you don’t know much about art it’s a great way to gain insight into the art world. And wonderful for people-watching, as there are some very interesting outfits and sights to see on the night.