About Creando
"We believe education should grow from the realities, needs, and dreams of the people who live here, not from imported models."
Our Story
Creando was created through collaboration between artists, organisers, and collectives who have lived the gap in access to design and digital culture education in Aruba. Many had to leave for the Netherlands to study and sustain their practice.
These shared experiences brought us together to connect existing efforts on the island and build something new from within.
Our Approach
Our approach is hands-on and collaborative: learning by doing, experimenting, and building together. We connect creative practice with local culture, sustainability, and the Caribbean's unique way of seeing and making.
Creando is part school, part laboratory, and part community space — a place where young people can develop the skills, confidence, and networks to imagine and build the futures they want, right here in the Caribbean.
Creando is a collaborative work by
Radical Data
A collective that creates technology for liberation and joy. Bringing practices from data science, socially engaged art, and Latin American activism, they build community-based projects that redefine the role of technology in our present and future.
Counter/Narratives (C/N)
An online and offline collaborative multimedia platform that brings together artists, researchers, community organisers, and cultural practitioners to challenge dominant historical and cultural narratives within the Caribbean.
Metabolic
A systems change agency striving to transition the global economy to a fundamentally sustainable state where people and nature thrive. They guide decision-makers and implement real-world projects that bring ambitious ideas to life.
Brenchie's Lab
A public access maker space started by Metabolic Foundation in 2016. The space offers access to digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers, CNC and laser cutters and a variety of programmable boards and sensors.
Afaina de Jong
Founder of AFARAI, an Amsterdam-based studio that challenges the boundaries of traditional architecture. She is Head MA Contextual Design at Design Academy Eindhoven.
Plataforma Aruba
A non-profit organisation that develops activities and projects for the Aruban community, combining visual contemporary art and education. Founded in 2019 by art historian and cultural manager Ana Maria Hernández.
Project financed by Stimuleringsfonds 2025 — Platforms for Design Learning.