About Visit San Nicolas
A free guide, made by the people who paint the town.
Visit San Nicolas is made by ArtisA (“Art is Aruba”), the foundation Tito Bolivar founded in San Nicolas in 2016. Ten years of murals, fairs and a gallery, and now a guide to the town around them: 100% free, for visitors and for every business.
La Abuela · Chemis, 2025
Why San Nicolas
A refinery town. A ghost town. An art town.
San Nicolas is a former refinery town. When the refinery went quiet, people called it a ghost town. In 2016, cultural producer Tito Bolivar founded ArtisA (“Art is Aruba”) here, with one belief: art can revive streets, create opportunities for young people and amplify unheard voices.
Vision
Make San Nicolas a thriving art district and Aruba the Art Island of the Caribbean.
Mission
Artistic growth · Economic opportunity · Community pride
Lago Colony in 1956 · Photo: Arthur Meiners, Coleccion Aruba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ten years in town
2016 → 2026, and on to 2027
2016
ArtisA is founded in San Nicolas
First Aruba Art Fair and first Mural Festival.
2017
Art Expression starts
Art classes in San Nicolas schools.
2018
First Youth Art Fair
Young artists get their own fair.
2019
Street Art Capital of the Caribbean
Forbes gives San Nicolas the name.
2021
ArtisA Gallery opens
B. v/d Veen Zeppenfeldstraat 6, Main Street.
2023
Space21.art opens
A home for 40+ artisans.
2024
MISO starts at KIA
Made Inside, Shared Outside: art from the women’s correctional facility (August).
2025
Art Expression × Youth Art Fair
With Filomena College MAVO. 8 artists at Red Dot Miami in December.
2026
Space21 Playa opens
First Aruban mural in the US (Miami, during the royal visit). Art Week theme: Nature × Mankind.
2027
Art Week Aruba, 6–12 September
Mural Festival, ArtTable, Art Fashion, Youth Art Fair, Aruba Art Fair.
The movement
What ArtisA makes
One foundation, eleven projects, all of them rooted in San Nicolas. Visit San Nicolas is the guide that ties them to the town.
Every September: Mural Festival, ArtTable, Art Fashion, Youth Art Fair, Aruba Art Fair.
artweekaruba.com →
Made Inside, Shared Outside: art made at KIA, the women’s correctional facility, since August 2024.
artisaruba.com/miso/ →
A December night market on the Promenade, San Nicolas.
arubachristmasfair.com →
Why Visit San Nicolas
100% free
For visitors
Every kitchen, shop, gallery, beach and event in San Nicolas, with real hours and directions, open or closed live.
For every business
Every San Nicolas business is listed for free. No ads, no paid placement.
Made here
By the foundation that has worked in San Nicolas since 2016.
info@visitsannicolas.com · subject “Get listed on visitsannicolas.com”
It is free for you. Please donate.
Visit San Nicolas is free for everyone, so it costs the foundation time and money to keep it current: hosting, photos, checking hours. A gift of any size keeps it going.
artisaruba.com/support-artisa · card via Stripe
Gifts go to ArtisA, legal entity Pure Aruba Events Foundation.
Gifts go to ArtisA, legal entity Pure Aruba Events Foundation.
Say hi
Find us at the gallery
ArtisA Gallery, B. v/d Veen Zeppenfeldstraat 6
Mon–Sat 9 AM–5 PM
ArtisA Gallery, B. v/d Veen Zeppenfeldstraat 6
Have a place in San Nicolas?
Kitchens, guesthouses, shops, guides, dive and kite schools, musicians: every San Nicolas business is listed for free.
Bon bini! Welcome to
Sunrise City
Visit San Nicolas
A community guide to Aruba’s Sunrise City: what’s open, what’s on and how to spend your day in San Nicolas. 100% free, made by ArtisA. About us →
© 2026 Visit San Nicolas