Instituto Allende San Miguel de Allende

Instituto allende was built in 1736, as a home for, Conde Manuel de la Canal. It was later turned into a Carmelite Convent. In 1951 it became an art and language school and is currently holding classes today. It is an extension of the University of Guanajuato. There is a café located on the premises. They also rent out the premises for banquets and weddings.

 

History

In 1927, Felipe Cossío del Pomar, a Peruvian artist and exiled diplomat (he was a founding member of the leftist APRA party in Peru, which at the time was controlled by a military dictatorship) visited San Miguel de Allende. He promptly fell in love with the area. Felipe Cassio had a dream of starting a Latin American school of modern art. In 1938, President Lázaro Cárdenas, granted him the property of the ex-Convent of the Conceptionist Nuns, located on Calle Hernandez Macias. The ex-convent was in ruins. It had been used by the Mexican Army, as quarters, for a cavalry regiment. He called it Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes. His friend and partner, Stirling Dickinson, (he was a writer and artist from the United States, living in San Miguel), passed out flyers in the US to art schools and colleges, trying to attract students. Some of the first students came from the U.S. to San Miguel in the early 1940s. They worked as apprentices in silver-smithing, leatherworking and pottery. They also studied fine arts with world-renown artists such as painter Rufino Tamayo. During the 2^nd world war, The Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes fell into disarray. The lawyer who had been left in charge, pocketed the money instead of using it to maintain the school. In 1948 Felipe Cassio came back to San Miguel took charge of the school. In 1951, with the help of Stirling Dickinson, former Guanajuato governor Enrique Fernández Martínez, and Nell Harris, Fernandez’ wife, Cassio founded the Instituto Allende. Today it is a premier art and language school. It draws students of all ages from around the World.

Instituo Allende and its founders have left a mark on San Miguel de Allende that is still palpable today. They were key to the development of San Miguel as a place where people come from all over the world to experience art and culture.

Inside the school are extensive gardens, courtyards, a coffee shop, two galleries, a theatre and many classrooms. Inside the chapel are remains of frescos.

Classes- Are taught by bilingual (Spanish and English) professors.

The Instituto offers

• Art Workshops
• Spanish language courses
• Bachelor degree in Visual Arts
• AA in Visual Arts
• Open courses offered to the general public. Flexible schedules to meet visitors needs.

Please see their website for further details and course schedules.

http://www.instituto-allende.edu.mx/indexeng.htm

Tel: +52-415-152- 0226

Open Mon- Fri. 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Located: Ancha de San Antonio #20, San Miguel de Allende

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