Bilbao Arte is an incubator for artists located on UrazurrutiaStreet, in the Old Bilbao-Bilbao la Vieja district. Along witha media library, and an important exhibition hall, there area dozen studios available to be temporarily ceded to artists,with several workshops for photography, new technologies,engraving and a film studio. A variety of exhibitions bycontemporary artists are programmed every year at theBilbao Arte Centre, as well as numerous conferences,workshops and seminars intended both for artists and forthe general public.

The seed for the Bilbao Arte project was plantedin 1996. With the Guggenheim Museum yet tobe inaugurated, Bilbao City Hall realised thatin the field of contemporary art it was necessaryto boost not only the city's potential for hostingexhibitions, but also promote its creativepotential. The conclusion was that there wasa definite need to build centre for creative arts,thereby counterbalancing the city's new identityas a services provider.

Instead of beginning a new construction, it wasdecided that a historic building which had falleninto disuse in the 1980's, the old UrazurrutiaSchool building in the district of Bilbao la Vieja,should be renovated. The school was originallydesigned in 1902 by the well-known politicianand architect Gregorio de IBARRECHE, whochose a Neoclassical style, characteristicof some of his other projects, such as IbaiganeMansion (1900) or the Bilbao Bonded

Warehouse Building (1917). The adaptationof the requirements of the new creative centrewas drawn up by artist Javier RIAÑO, whoworked in conjunction with the municipalarchitects Elias MAS and Blanca BREA onrenovation project.

Bilbo Arte officially opened its doors inNovember 1998, with the public enjoying anOpen House for the occasion, allowing visitorsto freely wander around the whole Centre.Visitors also viewed Begoña ZUBERO's photoexhibit on the ground floor along with a seriesof video projections by Javier PEREZ on thefirst floor. Hors d'œuvres were simultaneouslyserved by waiters dressed in the latest creationsfrom fashion designers Miriam OKARIZ, MichelARIAS, and Elisa AMANN. Needless to say,the artists chosen for that year by the SelectionCommittee were already working in theirrespective areas.

Since then, there has been no turning back. Bilbao Artehas been growing, slowly but surely becoming animportant reference point for artistic production andexhibitions, not only in Baskland, but also in all of Spain.The most important young Basque artists have createdand exhibited in its premises, and its Exhibition Hall hasbeen the scenario for some of the most stimulatingexhibits our city has hosted in the last decade.