About

Spend a week in the cultural capital of Latin America exploring the city’s rich history and vibrant culture. Since its time as the Aztec capital, Mexico City has attracted creatives from across Latin America who have left their mark through architecture, visual arts, music, and performance. 

Your two guides will help you to explore the vast cultural landscape of the city while informing and contextualizing each experience. Both live in the city.

 After waking up in a central hotel, each day will be filled with drawing outings to the most visually captivating locations, guided cultural outings to significant sites in the city, and art lessons from acclaimed Calgary art instructor Mark Vazquez-Mackay.

Art Lessons

Each afternoon, Mark will offer an art lesson specific to that mornings cultural experience. He will be giving lessons on the principals of 2D art making that can be applied to any medium. Participants will be encouraged to paint, draw, and collage. You don’t have to be an experienced artist to participate in this part of the trip. Some participants might prefer writing and collecting findings for their sketchbooks.

Art Materials

Given the fast pace of Mexico City, small convenient materials are recommended. A small Moleskin sketchbook, pocket sized watercolour set, and some drafting pens would be great. Or a notebook and a pen could also work.

Sites we will visit

Subject to small adjustment and change if uncontrollable circumstances arise.

• Casa Azul: Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera’s house

• Tenochtitlan: Mexica (Aztec) empier’s capital

• Bellas Artes: Murals of the great Mexican mural movement

• Museum of Anthropology

• Museo de Arte Moderno

• Castillo de Chapultepec

• Various other museums and galleries

Cost

$1,950 shared accommodation

$2,175 private accommodation

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED.

Not Included

Roundtrip airfare to Mexico City

Your food and beverage (approx. $200-300 for the week)

Included

• trip meeting on Zoom in early February.

• Airport transportation with your hosts meeting you right out of the airport gates.

• 7 nights accommodation in a hotel in the centre of the city

• Museum entrance fees.

• Daily art lessons by Mark Vazquez-Mackay.

• Daily working Spanish sessions by Carmen Vazquez-Mackay.

• Transportation to cultural sites we will be experiencing.

  
  

NOTE: Feb 21 & 28th are travel dates and there will be no formal programming.

$50% deposit will reserve your spot. Refundable until January 15, 2026.

Final payment due January 15, 2026

For more information, questions or to reserve your spot, please contact.

If you are a friend/partner of a participant and will not be participating in the art lessons, save 10% by using code: FRIEND