Travel as a Force for Good: Lavapiés Street Art and Community Experience

Lavapiés Street Art and Community Experience: Creativity, Culture and Community Connection in Madrid

As part of the Advantage Travel Partnership Conference 2026 and our Travel as a Force for Good initiative, Intrepid Travel hosted delegates on a Lavapiés Street Art and Community Experience. Where they explored one of Madrid’s most vibrant and culturally diverse neighbourhoods.

Designed to combine creativity, cultural understanding and meaningful community engagement, the experience offered a unique opportunity to see how local initiatives are using art and collaboration to support vulnerable communities while transforming the neighbourhood itself.

The experience began with a short, guided walk through the streets of Lavapiés, where delegates learned about the area’s rich multicultural identity, strong sense of togetherness and the social issues that continue to shape the community today. Along the route, a local guide explained how urban art has become an important platform for expression, activism and regeneration within the neighbourhood.

The group then arrived at Mercado de San Fernando, where delegates were welcomed by local artists and representatives connected to NGO Culturas Unidas. Inside the market, delegates were introduced to the techniques and materials used in spray painting and street art before being given the chance to create artwork themselves.



Under the guidance of a local artist, attendees had the opportunity to spray paint a wall in authentic street art style and design their own tote bag to take away as a personal souvenir of the experience. The workshop offered more than just creativity; it demonstrated how art can become a powerful tool for social, cultural and economic transformation.

Mural Chimpancé

As the experience continued through Lavapiés, delegates visited one of the area’s most striking and symbolic artworks, the Mural Chimpancé, created collaboratively by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel and Portuguese artist Bordalo II.

The mural combines the colourful geometric surrealism that defines Okuda’s work with Bordalo II’s distinctive use of recycled waste and scrap materials. Together, the artwork delivers a powerful message about environmental sustainability, consumer waste and the impact human behaviour has on natural habitats.

Throughout the tour, delegates learned how street art has helped transform neglected spaces into open-air galleries that attract visitors, photographers and internationally recognised artists to the area. This increased footfall supports local independent businesses, creates tourism opportunities and generates employment linked to festivals, tours and creative projects.

Importantly, the experience also highlighted how street art gives visibility and voice to residents while raising awareness of both local and global issues. For many young people within the community, it provides a positive outlet for creativity, identity and self-expression.

Through Intrepid Travel's commitment to responsible tourism and the work of The Intrepid Foundation, experiences like this go beyond traditional sightseeing. By partnering with trusted local organisations and community groups, Intrepid helps ensure tourism contributes directly to positive social, cultural and environmental outcomes in the destinations we visit.

Interested in joining a partnership that helps your business grow whilst supporting initiatives that make a difference? Discover the benefits of our membership opportunities and start the conversation with our team today.