Chile

Santiago 

Lafat Bordieu

 independent art scene can be hard to identify, and harder to define. From the north to the south, pinpointing a centralised identity is a near impossible task.

Conventional art galleries and art schools tend to be associated with elites able to pay, rather than a genuine reflection of a living art scene. That's why independent artist Lafat Bordieu recommends that visitors look to the streets rather than any established galleries. 

“In Chile and in South America, there isn’t as much direct support for art. That creates other kinds of community networks, self-managed and self-organised," he says. "The things I do don’t go through a publisher, institutions or any bureaucracy. They’re made by myself, created by myself, printed at home, and sold at fairs.”

Below he talks through the best places to find genuine spots that reveal 

 independent art and culture—which, on the surface, can be hard to find, but when you know where to look, it's a scene that's truly overflowing.  

This is where I used to come and sell on the street, right on that corner. If the police came you’d go to Bellas Artes. There weren’t as many police as there are now. 

An emblematic place. There are people selling art in spots like Galería La Curtiembre and Factoría Santa Rosa. I mostly move in the street or in festivals, but it's where artistic things are happening, for sure.

An independent place, run by people who are interested in books. It has a good selection of titles.  Books are difficult to make a business out of; whoever decides to work in this industry is a form of resistance to a certain digital era, it’s a way to reaffirm the physical and tangible. Anyone who starts a business with books is excellent to me.

Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, GAM hosts various cultural fairs and exhibitions. It is a bureaucratic institution, but even so, it offers a varied mixture of things. What I most like is that it's a public space—where people can do there own thing; dance, sell, whatever, go to the library. It's an open community space, which is the main difference between a cultural centre and a purely artistic one. 

There’s a street market with a lot of secondhand items; people selling vegetables next to people selling art and other things. Another incredible place.

There’s a mix between generations that go to this bar, and you always find interesting people, there’s good music playing and it's relatively affordable.

I like to draw here because it’s relaxing. There are old museums, families on day trips, drunks, people BBQing, me drawing, dogs in the lake. I feel that it’s very Chilean, it’s a collage. You take things from here and there and put them together like cutouts—that’s my style too, mixing things.

A space that holds activities, with a genuine interest in supporting local and interdisciplinary art: vinyl records, books, and souvenirs.

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Skip the Gallery, Stick to The Street: Lafat Bordieu On Santiago's Independent Art Scene 

Francisco Solís Monroy

can resemble anything between a dive bar with a jukebox or a restaurant with formal service and pressed napkins. In 

, these institutions are woven into the city's DNA, accessible to all and enjoyed across the complex social divisions that define Chilean society. 

In this guide, podcast host and cultural expert Pancho Solís takes us through a variety of the city's classics, and explains the culinary highs of the a city staple: the completo.

 on it—but with toppings you might not normally associate with a hot dog. Avocado, tomato, and mayonnaise, and then there’s usually something else—mustard," he explains. "There are different schools of thought, but basically, it’s a hot dog with avocado, tomato, mayo and then more toppings get added until it becomes this absurdly huge thing."

"It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, a late-night snack, a pre-party meal, a first date food, or comfort food after a bad day. In that sense, the 

 is what the average Chilean will order at any time of the day, any time of year."

It has neon lights and a bohemian vibe. The completos and beer are ok, but the atmosphere makes it worth it. It always has nu-wave music.

It’s here in Lastarria — very traditional. One time I had a completo and a beer there with a lady who was nearly 100 years old! She’d been going there her whole life. It serves you in an old school way, with waiters. 

A traditional place known for its lomito sandwich: a very prestigious option on the diner route. 

This a known as the first vegan fuente de soda. Very famous for its completos.

A historic, emblematic option in the suburbs which sells a very tasty churrasco— another local speciality sandwich. 

A very old one, you’ll just find elderly ladies and gentlemen. This is one for tradition.

This isn’t really a diner, it is more of a snack place that sells  churrasco, pizza, empanadas, completos—everything you need for a late night post-party craving. There’s no tables, people just sit outside to eat. 

This is spot was called Pikachu, which was a single food cart. Now, there are a bunch of carts where you can buy completos with non-traditional options, like garlic and bbq sauces.

Absurdly Huge, Undeniably Good: Santiago's Diners and Dive Bars with Pancho Solís

Akriila

 is a cacophony of sounds, places and influences, heard most evidently through the new-gen artists creating a fresh soundtrack to the city they've grown up in.

The soundscapes that characterise Akriila's 2024 debut, 

are layered and complex; a web of reggaeton, plugg, trap, drum and bass and pure noise mashed together under the assured drawl of her distinctive rap style. 

Born and raised in Maipu, a neighbourhood in the west of the Santiago, Akrii credits the Chilean capital as a core part of her sound: "Santiago has influenced my work. I’ve always been used to music sung in Spanish and knowing the importance to support and reference local artists."  

She cites 

 to recent trap and younger Chilean urban stars like Gianluca and Princesa Alba as key influences to her music. She's also  explored beyond her familiar circles, adding an experimental edge to output.  "I come from a family of teachers with artistic hobbies, who always taught me to find inspiration outside of my life. That’s why the city and places I go are important to me. Everything creates stories.”

Describing her home city as "unpredictable, diverse and vibrant", she reveals her favourite Santiago spots below. 

I always go to play pool in Bar Alameda with my football team. 

I like to get a coffee here. I buy an ice latte and a red berry cheesecake. 

For parties, from Thursday to Saturday you go to Blondie. They have very good special nights. 

This barrio is cool, you can get head to Costa Bright or go the Bar El Bajo which is a more intimate.

It's not in the Lastarria neighbourhood, but I love Karaoke Santiago in Santa Isabel. 

In the Patronato neighbourhood I recommend Bunsik and Misoya, both serve Korean food. 

I recommend Kintaro which is at the front of Bellas Artes metro station. I don't have a favourite restaurant to be honest, but this is one I go to. I love the ramen

If you want to party after 11pm from Tuesday to Fridays, go to Túnel. They'll serve you drink that'll get you flipped. 

If it's a special occasion, I'll go to Baco. It's one of my favourite places to get dinner. 

Costa Bright

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