A parasite is a key feature of any system, acting as a “thermal exciter” that alters the nature of the environment to which it belongs. The independent spaces within Bogotá’s art scene have acted as parasites in this sense, as opposed to the commonly construed notion of an organism that lives off others.

The first local event hosted by OtherNetwork as part of its international cultural programme in 2023 took place on 13 July at Espacio Odeón – an experimental art space in a former theatre building – in which six invited guests spoke about their experience in creating, directing, or managing independent cultural projects in the Colombian capital.