Axárquica, creative space in Vélez-Málaga
Axárquica is not just a cultural and creative space: it is a dream we have been nurturing for many years and which has finally come true. And now, it is up to us to fill it with life, art and people.
Our creative space is an art and printmaking studio offering learning and artistic creation experiences for everyone, whether they have experience or not. It is an inclusive and accessible space, designed so that everyone can engage in craft-based creation.
The studio is in Vélez-Málaga, a town situated in the Axarquía region of Málaga, a little paradise nestled between the mountains and the sea in Andalusia.
The people behind Axárquica Creative Space
We’re Paula and Curro: the two madcap souls who’ve set up this creative space in the Axarquía region (Málaga).
We’ve put our hearts into every square centimetre of this project. Literally. Faced with a lack of funds, we took it upon ourselves to renovate the space to transform it into an art workshop where accessibility and creativity go hand in hand.
The project: a creative space in Vélez-Málaga
We worked for (many) months to fine-tune every little detail and turn our old village house into a versatile creative space, brimming with tools, materials and creative energy. In our own way, at our own pace, but always putting our heart and soul into it.
Accessibility was a key priority for us: Axárquica is an accessible space, and we ensured this by building a ramp and making sure all the necessary spaces were designed to facilitate mobility for everyone.
There were times when exhaustion almost got the better of us. No joke, building work is hard graft. Luckily, Curro put in the physical effort, whilst I added the glamour of a renovation shared on social media (you can find a good overview of the process of shaping our creative space in our Instagram highlights).
After many months of work, plenty of aching muscles and lots of mixing and matching, we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel… And we allowed ourselves the odd breather to make sure we reached the finish line in one piece.
We were particularly excited to choose local materials to finish our façade. We went to the tile works to select these clay tiles in person. We chatted with Antonio from the tile works. We handled lots of clay, discussed materials, and now we have a façade that reminds us every day that clay has always been worked in Vélez-Málaga.
And if you’ve made it this far, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us on this journey. Our exhausted faces on the day we finished the brickwork greet you with a smile of happiness and weariness.
And now…
Wait, wait!
Not so fast. You’ve scrolled all this way and we haven’t shown you what our creative space in the heart of Málaga’s Axarquía looks like? Look at what a lovely little workshop we have:
What can you expect to find in our engraving and applied arts workshop?
- Professional facilities: we have a drying rack, two presses, two hand-operated presses and everything you might need to carry out your artistic projects to a professional standard.
- Accessible space: at the heart of our cultural project is a place for everyone, which is why accessibility is a personal commitment we’ve taken very seriously, with an access ramp, spacious work areas and adapted spaces.
- A welcoming atmosphere: we’re always delighted to welcome visitors – come and have a coffee or a tea, and let’s have a chat about art and creativity in good company.
- Collaborative projects: We love developing initiatives that involve the people who visit the workshop, and we’re always coming up with new ideas.
- Art library: we’re gradually expanding our library; we have specialist books and are always adding new titles.
- Exhibitions and cultural events: there’s always an exhibition to visit; we strive to showcase local and regional artistic output, as well as hosting book launches, talks with artists, and more.
- And always, always, always: inclusion, diversity and respect.
Would you like to find out more?
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