What you’ll do on your summer vacation? Produce sculptures! You’ve good reason for that, since you’ll get free accommodation for more than two weeks during the summer peak season. The beautiful southern Spanish village of Genalguacil in Andalucia, came with the idea to offer this alluring deal, called “Artbnb.” Of course, it is open only to artists who must produce sculptures or other work during their stay, and bequeath at least one to the village. Artists are offered cottages or other accommodation and all the materials they need to produce their work.
This unusual concept, a play on the popular private rental company Airbnb has led to Genalguacil becoming an open-air museum of art, attracting tourists who come to see the works dotted along the winding streets. Located up in the mountains, just inland from the coastal tourist hubs of Estepona and Marbella, Genalguacil has always been a popular haunt for artists for its bright light. The biannual “Art Encounters” festival lets artists descend on the village to find inspiration for their works, without the worries of having to pay for accommodation. This year’s festival runs from July 31 to August 14.
