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Quito earned its title of "Cultural Capital for Humanity" because of its constant promotion of the arts in all forms and venues.

Sculpture and painting have always been objects of admiration by the public. In Quito, you can find the large paintings from the 17th Century and the sculptures from the Quito School in the principal museums of the city and the municipal buildings.

The city also houses galleries of diverse art ready to be purchased.

In spite of the many artisan markets, a knowledgeable art buyer can encounter a large quantity of valuable pieces in the Mercado Artesanal , on Juan León Mera Street; in the market in El Ejido Park; or in the shops at Mitad del Mundo , just outside the city.

The main advantages to buying at these locations are the low prices and the opportunity to haggle on the prices with the merchants. In these markets you can find beautiful silver pieces and high-value archeological relics.

There are also specialized art galleries in Quito. These include La Galería (Juan Rodríguez and Diego de Almagro Streets), Karnak (Jorge Washington and Amazonas Avenues), and the Exedra Fundación (Ignacio de Veintimilla and Tamayo Streets). In these galleries you can find important collections of art.

The prices of art in these art galleries generally exceed $100, and an original piece by a well-known artist can go higher than $1000.

You can find pieces by the artists Osvaldo Guayasamín and Eduardo Kingman in their respective foundations, which also have open art galleries.