Historic Centre of Quito hosts Arte en mi Ciudad on 25 September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 15:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Historic Centre of Quito (Centro Histórico de Quito) hosted Arte en mi Ciudad at the Plaza de la Independencia on 25 September 2026. The event brought traditional Ecuadorian music to Quito and formed part of a public cultural programme presented by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture and the Institute for the Promotion of Arts, Innovation and Creativity.
The programme was open to families and the general public. It placed a live music event in one of the capital's principal historic squares, linking a current cultural programme with the urban setting for which Quito is recognised internationally.
Arte en mi Ciudad brought traditional music to Quito
Arte en mi Ciudad was presented as the second edition of an initiative dedicated to traditional Ecuadorian music. The programme at the Plaza de la Independencia began at 6pm on 25 September 2026, and admission was free, the event report confirms.
The line-up included Trío Alvarado, a group associated with Ecuadorian national music. Its participation connected the event with the pasillo, a musical form described in the programme as part of Ecuador's cultural identity and heritage. The first edition had been held at the Plataforma Gubernamental Sur in Quitumbe before the programme moved to the historic centre.
The Plaza de la Independencia sits within Quito's heritage core
The square is part of the historic urban ensemble that gives central Quito its distinctive character. UNESCO describes Quito as a sixteenth-century city founded on the ruins of an Inca settlement, with a historic centre that remains among the best preserved and least altered in Latin America.
The city stands at roughly 2,850 metres above sea level. San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries, together with the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañía, are associated with the Baroque school of Quito, which combines European and indigenous artistic traditions. The relationship between the 25 September 2026 music programme and the Plaza de la Independencia placed a contemporary public event inside that protected historic setting, as outlined in UNESCO's World Heritage description.
What the 25 September programme meant for the square
The event did not announce a change to the buildings or access rules of the historic centre. Its significance was cultural: the organisers used a central public space to present traditional music outside a conventional concert venue.
For visitors, the programme offered a clearly located event rather than a general city festival. The Plaza de la Independencia provided the direct connection between the named music programme and the historic centre, while Trío Alvarado supplied a specific performance link to Ecuadorian musical heritage.
Visiting Historic Centre of Quito: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Arte en mi Ciudad took place on 25 September 2026 at the Plaza de la Independencia in Quito, beginning at 6pm.
- The programme was open to the general public and admission was free; the event was a temporary cultural programme, not a permanent change to the square.
- The historic centre is in central Quito, and the venue is the Plaza de la Independencia, also known as Plaza Grande.
- The area is at high altitude, about 2,850 metres, and its historic streets, squares and buildings form an urban walking environment.
- Spanish is Ecuador's official language, and the national currency is the US dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Historic Centre of Quito
When did Arte en mi Ciudad take place at Historic Centre of Quito?
Arte en mi Ciudad took place on 25 September 2026 at the Plaza de la Independencia, beginning at 6pm.
Where is Historic Centre of Quito and how do you get there?
It is in central Quito, Ecuador, with the Plaza de la Independencia as one of its principal public spaces. The historic centre is an urban area of squares, streets, churches, monasteries and civic buildings.
What is Historic Centre of Quito?
It is the historic urban core of Quito, a sixteenth-century city founded on the ruins of an Inca settlement. The City of Quito was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978.
