Ever since President Obama announced at the end of 2014 that the U.S. would pursue a “normalization” of relations with Cuba, all eyes have been turned on the tiny island nation. So we wondered, What is the situation for artists now? What kind of work will we be seeing? As Nance Frank, a dealer and curator in Key West, points out, Havana has a 400-year history as a center for the arts, and the conditions for Cuban artists have always been supportive. State-sponsored education makes sure talented kids get a thorough foundation in art; artists pay lower taxes and are allowed to keep foreign currency; and the community is warm-hearted and supportive.

Cuban art has developed in its own singular fashion, drawing on influences from Surrealism to Pop. Frank, who is fluent in Spanish and has been traveling to Cuba for decades (first as a world-class sailor), gives us some insight into what’s happening in Havana.