Where, Why, and How to Enjoy the Arts in Mexico's Major Expat Cities
Updated April 2021
The low cost of high art in Mexico
The happy faces inspired by a night at the theater with a good friend
My interest in the fine arts at home historically had been pretty tepid. I'd never had much exposure to the arts growing up in a small town in Southwest Oklahoma. As a young wage-earner, my money was dedicated elsewhere.
Even if I was willing to pony up to purchase a ticket, it was hard to get friends to do so. Therefore our connection to culture only extended only as far as rock concerts and art gallery openings with free wine.
In Mexico however, I can afford to be more capricious. In Mexico community cultural center and theater exist in all popular expat cities. The performances are usually high caliber, pulling in directors and maestros from all over Latin America. You would be missing out to ignore it.
Tips on finding arts information on Spanish language sites
When you are doing online research for activities such as ballets and operas in Mexico, it’s usually easier to find the information you need if you look at the Spanish-language sites.
All you need is a few key words in Spanish to put into the search browser and the ability to translate into military time. Not all venues have dedicated websites but all have Facebook pages. With a Google Translate, you can get people's reactions and reviews to the venue and productions.
Lower ticket prices
Opera and ballet transcend language so they draw a big percentage of expats. Looking around the Ángela Peralta Theatre in Mazatlán I saw many like me who welcomed the opportunity to broaden their exposure - at the right price.
A ticket for a great seat at Mazatlán’s beautifully restored opera house, costs about $20, about half of what you'd pay in the U.S. for a good seat. I could even afford to invite a friend. Mexico supports the arts. The production we decided to see was staged by the Compania Ballet Classico de Sinaloa, and funded by Instituto Municipal de Cultura, Turismo and Arte de Mazatlán.
“Fille Mal Garde” is one of the oldest of classical world repertoire, created in 1789 in France. The plot was one the first stage productions that didn’t deal with kings, queens or magic but rather common people. It is a comedy ballet, a first for me, where pantomime played a key role. The simple love story was unique in its time for nothing more strenuous than having a happy ending.
One pleasurable aspect of local productions are accessibility to the actors. After a night of much-needed grace, we ran into the two key cast dancers a restaurant, including the acrobatic young man who played the grandmother in the production to wild applause. They were charming and turn the evening into a two-stage experience, the before and the after party.
Spanish Vocabulary for your own searches of cultural center websites
Days of the week
Domingo - Sunday
Martes - Monday (cerrada = closed)
Lunes - Tuesday
Miércoles - Wednesday
Jueves - Thursdays
Viernes - Fridays
Sabado - Saturday.
Search Terms
Espectáculo de danza - Dance performance:
Tickets: boletos
Teatro - theater
Danza - dance
Live events - eventos en vivos
Programación - events
Ocio - leisure
Baile - dance
Leyendas - legends
obras infantiles - works for children
Descuentos - discounts
Entrada libre - entry free
Major cultural centers and theater for performances in the most popular expat areas:
San Miguel de Allende
(voted in 2016 as the Best City in the World by Conde Nast Travel Magazine) (Spanish)
Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez “El Nigromante," or “El Nigromante” del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (Spanish). You will also find an amateur theater company called "The Players Workshop" which offers two theater seasons yearly. There are many festivals that take place in San Miguel de Allende, such as the Music Chamber Festival, the Short Film Festival, Jazz Festival, Guitar Festival
Guadalajara
Teatro Auditorio Buero Vallejo - also has performances. Cabañas Cultural Institute - Instituto Cultural Cabañas, better known as Hospicio Cabañas, is a public agency whose objective the promotion and cultural diffusion.
Running into two of the comely dancers after the show. The varón (far left) played an old woman
Lake Chapala
Yucatan/Mérida
The Centro de Espectaculos Carta Clara is concert venue.
Riviera Maya / Quintana Roo
Teatro de la Cuidad Solidaridad
El Danxica Dance & Arts festival takes place in late November in an area called the Caribe Mexicano. El Caribe Mexicano is made up of eight principal tourist areas; Cancún, la Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Chetumal, Zona Maya y la Reciente Grand Costa Maya
Puerto Vallarta
El Centro Cultural Cuale is the city’s school of arts
La Paz
San Cristobal
Related links:
Opera in Mexico is vibrant too, as these aspiring opera singers demonstrate
Helpful insights for attending a Mexican rock concert. Ventanas Mexico
Next up:
The specifics about obtaining for private health insurance in Mexico from a foremost broker. It's takes years so learn the process now.
About the author:
Kerry Baker is the author of this blog and four books.
If Only I Had a Place," geared toward the aspiring expat to Mexico. This book is more than a how-to. It sets you up with a fluid system that can become your infrastructure to your best expat life.
Most recently, she released “The Mexico Solution: Saving your money, sanity, and quality of life through part-time life in Mexico.” Both a how-to and what to expect in living in Mexico.