Starbucks Mexico Celebrates the Power of Coffee and Creativity at ZⓈONAMACO 2026
CULTO, an initiative by Starbucks Mexico operated by Alsea, arrives at ZⓈONAMACO as a platform that connects contemporary art with the cultural and social significance of coffee.
Starbucks Mexico, operated by Alsea, returns to ZⓈONAMACO, Latin America’s most influential contemporary art fair, to reaffirm its commitment to creativity, connection and culture through coffee. This year, Starbucks Mexico proudly introduces CULTO, a long-term exhibition and artist residency program that explores the role of coffee as a source of inspiration and reflection.
Curated by renowned Mexican artist Mario García Torres, CULTO invites contemporary artists to engage with coffee not only as a drink, but as a symbol of ritual, memory and social connection.
“At Starbucks, we believe that coffee and art share a unique power to connect people, places, and memories. Supporting creative talent is a meaningful part of our cultural and social commitment, and we’re proud to champion art in the coffee-growing regions where our journey begins,” said Diego Recalde, Marketing Director of Starbucks at Alsea.
For Starbucks Mexico, this exhibition launches as a residency platform that invites contemporary artists to create work inspired by the landscape, nature, local communities, and the coffee-making process itself.
Through this program, coffee is reframed as a source of creation and reflection, while embedding it within its long cultural history.
“Coffee has long been associated with creativity and meaningful conversation. Our relationship with it dates to 9th-century Ethiopia, and spaces of coffee consumption have been recurrent themes in modern art. CULTO aims to become part of that lineage—once again bringing together art, thought, and coffee in our time,” explained García Torres.
The CULTO program will select contemporary artists each year to take part in a residency on coffee farms. Inspired by the immersive process, they will develop original works to be presented in future editions of ZⓈONAMACO. Through these actions, the program aims to revalue territory as a space for creation, listening and dialogue.
This year, CULTO spotlights Mexican artist Lorena Ancona, who has developed a body of work rooted in ancestral production practices and biocultural environments. Her project for ZⓈONAMACO, titled Montaña de la Serpiente (Mountain of the Serpent), features a series of ceramic pieces and a painting that use ritual landscape as a conceptual point of departure. Curated by García Torres, the exhibition makes both symbolic and material references to coffee-growing regions such as Coatepec, Veracruz, also known as the “mountain of serpents” and recognized as a landscape of abundance.
Coffee as Shared Art
During ZⓈONAMACO 2026, another key protagonist will be Starbucks® Single-Origin Mexico, a light-roast whole bean coffee made with 100% Mexican beans sourced from Chiapas, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Puebla. With notes of toasted nuts and honey, this coffee embodies pride in origin and celebrates the connection between flavor, land, and the hands that cultivate it, bringing the spirit of Mexico to every cup.
Starbucks Mexico’s participation in this internationally recognized fair reinforces its vision of honoring coffee as a form of art that brings cultures together and awakens the senses. From the field to the gallery, every cup tells a story that is born in Mexico and celebrated around the world.
During the fair, Starbucks Mexico will offer food and beverages at two coffee bars and will feature an exclusive Starbucks x ZⓈONAMACO tote bag designed by Lorena Ancona, as well as a commemorative cup illustrated by Mont Ventura, a Mexican artist known for creating visual narratives for Starbucks Mexico across different formats.
In this edition of ZⓈONAMACO, Starbucks Mexico joins the fair to inspire through coffee and highlight the artistic, social, and cultural value of Mexican coffee on a global stage.
