Presentation

The principle purpose of the Foundation was to institute the Biennale of Nicaraguan Painting having celebrated its first edition February 1, 1997, at the Ruben Dario National Theater, that has since then been the home of the all the Biennales and Exhibitions.

The Foundation, along with other institutions Businesspeople for the Arts, in Costa Rica, Museum Foundation of the Honduran Man, Promerica for Salvadorian Art, Fernandez Pirla Foundation in both Panama and Guatemala. Together, these organizations decided to institute a Biennale of Central American Painting at which the winning artists of each national Biennale will have the opportunity to compete with each other in the odd years. Each Central American Biennale is rotated among the participating countries. Its first edition was in September of 1998 in Guatemala City.

The Biennale woke up an enthusiasm between the artists of the region and rapidly began to compete with other artistic expressions at a Biennale that solely had painting. The organizers were conscious of this reality and decided in 2001, to expand and delve into other areas of visual art composed of more than just painting.

Apart from the celebration of the Biennale of Nicaraguan Visual Arts and of their co sponsor Central American Biennale of Visual Arts, the Foundation developed a program of Cultural Editorials, the creation of two Center of Arts Ortiz Gurdian Foundation, in Leon, Nicaragua, sponsorship of National Literary Prizes and organize Parallel Exhibitions of the Nicaraguan Biennale and Special Exhibitions of universal art for the Central American region.