The bidding for the construction of the new main headquarters of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT) of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, located in front of the Castillo de San José, is not expected before autumn 2026. The execution will be extended by at least a year, meaning the move will not occur before 2028.
The Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT) of the Cabildo de Lanzarote have confirmed that the new headquarters, planned in a building opposite the Castillo de San José in Arrecife, will not be operational before 2028. The bidding for the works, which was initially expected this summer, has been postponed until autumn, according to sources from the entity's management.
The administrative process has been slower than anticipated. The public tender is expected to be published in autumn 2026, and the award could come in early 2027. From there, the construction company will have a period of at least one year to carry out the work, placing the completion date at 2028 as the most realistic.
A budget of two million for 800 square metres
The building was purchased in 2024 for 1.42 million euros. It has more than 800 square metres of usable space, sufficient to accommodate around 70 professionals. The total investment planned for the renovation amounts to 2 million euros, according to data provided by the Cabildo at the time.
The new headquarters will centralise the offices of the CACT, which currently operate in a rented warehouse along the road between Arrecife and San Bartolomé. The return to the old building on Calle Triana has been ruled out, which was the historic headquarters of the entity for many years.
Commitment to Manrique's legacy
The CEO of the CACT, Ángel Vázquez, stated in 2024 that the project "will respect the legacy and the idea of César Manrique". In his statements, recorded in an official statement, Vázquez emphasised that the renovation will follow the principles of respect for the environment, local materials, natural light, and integration of vegetation. "Like everything we do at the CACT, it must be linked to respect for the environment," he asserted.
For the residents of Arrecife, the delay means that the activities of the CACT will continue to develop from the current temporary facilities. The new headquarters, in addition to improving the working conditions of employees, aims to become an architectural reference linked to Manrique's work, very close to the emblematic Castillo de San José, which houses the International Museum of Contemporary Art (MIAC).
Meanwhile, workers and users will have to wait at least two more years to see the project come to fruition. The expectation is that, if everything goes as planned, the keys will be handed over in 2028, just when four years will have passed since the purchase of the property.
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