The Tenerife Cabildo has raised the funding for the arts district by two million euros, of which €1,231 will stem from the acquisition of the former Los Agustinos school and the Torreón Ventoso in Puerto de la Cruz. This iconic structure dates back to the 18th century; it previously served as a town hall and housed a religious school of the same name for half a century, until its closure in the 1995-1996 academic year.
This increase was ratified in the latest insular plenary session following a budget modification, as confirmed to this publication yesterday by the insular Minister of Culture, José Carlos Acha. He emphasises that at the outset of this term, efforts were made to advance the process, enabling the property to host the Eduardo Westerdahl Museum of Contemporary Art (Macew), the first of its kind established in Spain, which has yet to secure its own premises.
The museum’s origins can be traced back to the headquarters of the Institute of Hispanic Studies of the Canary Islands, which owns the collection, and it is currently operating in the Customs House—an area that has become inadequate for a growing permanent exhibition.
“We finalised an agreement on the price with the owners, predominantly the Bishopric of Tenerife, and the family, which is quite large, necessitating that each heir accept the inheritance, document it before a notary, and register it in the Property Registry. This process inevitably makes things slow and complex,” the councillor explains.
Nonetheless, Acha remains hopeful about the acquisition, stating that “nearly all of the family’s documentation is already complete or nearing completion.”
Several mayors have previously endeavoured to acquire the property for educational and cultural purposes, with options including relocating the municipal library. Acha credits the former insular director of Culture, José Luis Rivero, during the 2015-2019 term for this advance, while attributing the subsequent stalling of the process to the PSOE government.
If it continues on its intended path, in the coming years the tourist city will boast a modern and sustainable infrastructure that will enhance the cultural offerings of the municipality.
