About San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
THE PITTMAN STUDY AWAY PROGRAM
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
In a unique collaboration between the Corcoran College of Art + Design and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Continuing Education students are invited to participate in select classes held at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This unique collaboration between the Corcoran College of Art + Design and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes is part of a series of programs that promote cultural exchange through education in the arts in beautiful and culturally rich San Miguel.
The Escuela de Bellas Artes is housed in a colonial-era convent in the city’s center. With a population of 140,000—including 5,000 expatriate Americans—San Miguel has been a destination for those seeking art and culture for decades and was recently designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
ABOUT THE SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
San Miguel de Allende, nestled in the mountainous central region of Mexico, is part of the “Bajio” region in the state of Guanajuato. This “low” region in reality averages about 7000 feet, but is called so for being a relatively flat area ringed by mountains. San Miguel El Grito (as it was originally known) was founded by a Franciscan monk in 1542. It was an important stopover of the silver route from Zacatecas.
When the Mexican War of Independence began in the nearby town of Dolores (now know as Dolores Hildago) on September 16, 1810, in an act now celebrated as “El Grito”, the rapidly growing revolutionary army came to San Miguel El Grande. Dolores Hildago is known as the “Cradle of National Independence” while San Miguel calls itself the “Forge of National Independence”, for it was here that General Ignacio Allende joined the army as Padre Miguel Hildago’s chief lieutenant and led the army to several victories. Allende was not able to enjoy a Mexico independent from Spanish oppression, however, as he was captured during battle and summarily executed. He is now a national hero, and the town renamed itself “San Miguel de Allende” in 1826 to honor his actions.
As its mineral wealth waned, San Miguel was popular as both a quiet, beautiful place to live and an attraction for the wealthy for its natural hot springs. By 1900, the town itself was in danger of dying out. Having been declared a national monument in 1926 (no neon signs, no modern buildings), the old Centro district still has the colonial style elegance of its wealthy past.
It was after World War II that San Miguel de Allende began to revive as a tourist attraction, as many GI’s discovered that their education grants stretched further in Mexico at the US accredited art school, the Instituto Allende, founded in 1950.
San Miguel de Allende is world famous for its mild climate, colonial architecture, and an expatriate population that estimates a number between 6,000 and 8,000. The total population is about 85,000, and is primarily made up of Americans and Canadians, with a smattering of Europeans and other nationalities. Many people have elected to retire here, as the large community of foreigners has brought about a number of conveniences that would normally not be available in a town of this size.
San Miguel de Allende was declared a World Heritage Site in 2008.
View our Study Away course offerings.