MoCA Américas carried out a visit to the Havana Art School in São Paulo, an institution founded by Cuban artist Alexis Iglesias. The school offers structured training in painting, drawing, and ceramics, supported by facilities designed for each discipline and an international faculty with diverse professional backgrounds.

The visit forms part of the museum’s ongoing educational and community-focused work, aimed at building sustained relationships with peer institutions and fostering the exchange of approaches to art education. During their time in São Paulo, the MoCA Américas team led a series of meetings and working sessions at Havana School, sharing methodologies and outcomes related to their work with children, adolescents, and families, with particular attention to the role of the arts within broader formative processes.

This exchange draws on the museum’s experience in Miami-Dade County, where it has developed programs centered on visual arts education, audience development, and the integration of artistic practice into everyday life. Within this framework, the dialogue with Havana School establishes a platform for comparing contexts, refining pedagogical strategies, and expanding institutional scope.

Based in São Paulo, Escola Havana has established itself as an active site for artistic training, combining technical instruction with a contemporary, exploratory approach. Its program includes regular courses, specialized workshops, and open activities designed to support the development of individual artistic languages. The presence of an internationally composed faculty further reinforces its position within the city’s cultural landscape.

As an outcome of this initial engagement, both institutions have outlined a collaborative agenda that includes panels, lectures, and workshops to be held in São Paulo in November and December 2026, as part of MoCA Américas’ cultural exchange program in Brazil. The collaboration will continue in 2027 with a reciprocal visit by Havana School’s faculty to Miami, where they will contribute to the museum’s academic and public programming.

On a date that coincides with this moment of shared projection and institutional alignment, MoCA Américas extends its congratulations to Alexis Iglesias on his birthday, acknowledging his sustained commitment to artistic education and his role in creating spaces that support the development of new generations.