The Islita Creative Center
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Transcript of The Islita Creative Center
Creative C h a n g e s
When visitors encounter the tiny coastal village of
Islita, located in a remote cove of Costa Rica’s Ni-
coya Peninsula, they are surprised by the colorful
murals, sculptures, and installations that grace the
community’s public spaces. What many don’t real-
ize right away is that this ubiquitous art visually
communicates Islita’s unique character as a living
example of one of the world’s most successful and
longest– running responsible tourism models.
Set in motion when Hotel Punta Islita opened its
doors in 1994, this synergistic program has been
instrumental in the recovery of an economically
and environmentally depleted region where ac-
cess to education and professional opportunities
were severely limited. Reforestation, local em-
ployment, and local purchases contributed to heal
the tropical dry forest and reverse urban migra-
tion. Later programs have embraced art and com-
plimentary education. With the creation of The
Villafranca-Zurcher Foundation, Hotel Punta Islita
fully articulated its sustainability initiatives and
championed groundbreaking programs like the
Islita Contemporary Art Museum and the Islita
Day Care Center.
Today, the Villafranca-Zurcher Foundation contin-
ues to develop innovative partnerships with the
community, enlisting the generous support of like-
minded corporations, individuals, other private
foundations, government institutions, and NGOs.
Cooperation, entrepreneurship, and creativity re-
main the underpinnings of an exciting responsible
tourism model that was jumpstarted seventeen
years ago. We believe this model will continue to
strengthen Islita as a healthy destination that wel-
comes visitors in heartfelt and sincere hospitality.
You are cordially invited to learn more about our
most recent project: The Islita Creative Center.
The Islita Creative Center will expand
the complementary education initia-
tives set forth in Hotel Punta Islita’s sus-
tainable travel program. It seeks to
build upon the success of the Islita Day
Care Center and its early stimulation
didactic program by developing a fully-
outfitted learning space to strengthen
after-school opportunities that foster
creativity, social skills, and critical think-
ing through the use of electronic media
and targeted art and playful activities.
It has the potential to benefit close to
200 elementary school children and ad-
olescents from Islita’s neighbor
communities.
Hotel Punta Islita has donated the site
and basic infrastructure to house the
Center. Through its Villafranca-Zurcher
Foundation, Hotel Punta Islita is provid-
ing human resources, management ser-
vices, and fundraising activities. Thus
far, it has secured the generous support
of the American and German embas-
sies, corporations, and private citizens.
The Project
The site for Islita Creative Center is locat-
ed in the heart of Islita, across from the
soccer field and adjacent to the Islita Art
Museum Amphitheater. The facilities do-
nated by Hotel Punta Islita will be refur-
bished and fully outfitted with the latest
didactic technology including computers,
high-speed internet, and multi-media
equipment. Staff will include a full-time
The Islita Creative Center
Hotel Punta Islita has donated the Creative Center’s site and basic infrastructure.
educator and cleaning and maintenance
personnel.
Goals
By creating a welcoming, nurturing physi-
cal space, the Islita Creative Center will be
able to host a broad range of after school
programs that foment creative and criti-
cal thinking, flexibility, self-esteem, and
inquisitive drive. Attendance will be vol-
untary and tuition will be waived. Art,
creative play, and research will be instru-
mental to the Center’s curriculum and ac-
tivities.
Why?
Data from the Costa Rican Census and
Statistical Institute paint a worrisome pic-
ture of the region with illiteracy indexes
that double the national average. Ele-
mentary school attendance is 58%, high
school attendance barely reaches 17%.
These staggering figures can be partly ex-
plained by the isolated nature of many
communities and lack of public transpor-
tation. Education is commonly limited to
one-room schools with very limited re-
sources. The Islita Creative Center’s after-
school programs will be accessible to six
local communities, benefitting close to
200 children and young adults.
Art will be pivotal to the Center’s programs.
Funding Needs
The initial funding necessary to
remodel and refurbish the do-
nated infrastructure totals
$14K. A second stage, $3K
funding will furnish the Center
and outfit it with computers,
games, books, and audio visu-
al equipment. The total invest-
ment of $17K will mean that for
less than $100 per child, we
can fully provide a state-of the-
art learning facility.
Third stage funding will cover
the Center’s ongoing operating
expenses, estimated at $4800
per year.
Nancy Arias
Executive Delegate
Villafranca-Zurcher
Foundation
Lic. Psychology
Islita Community
Loida Pretiz
Director/Curator
Islita Art Museum
Artist Laureate
Winner of the Aquileo
Echeverria National
Art Award
We’d love to hear from you!
To learn more about the Islita Creative Center or ways to become involved as a donor, vol-
unteer, or sponsor, please contact us at:
[email protected] / [email protected] +506 2296-8412 or 2296– 8428
Project Leaders: About The Villafranca-Zurcher Foundation
Created in 1994, the Villafranca-Zurcher Foundation has been the executive arm of Hotel Punta Islita’s ongoing Responsible Tourism and community outreach pro-grams targeting It has been instrumental in the creation, development, and growth of the Islita Art Museum, the Islita Day Care Center, and re-lated human betterment initiatives. As a fundraising entity, it has been able to leverage Hotel Punta Islita’s contributions by encouraging donations from socially-conscious private individuals, government, NGO’s, and corporations.