"This is not a hairdressers," says a sign on the wall of a place called La Peluquería (The Hairdressers). "OK," I think, trying to overlook the fact that a woman is most definitely holding clippers to a client's head, as she stands in front of a retro dryer. "This is not a cultural centre, or a museum, or a gallery, or a cafe," it continues. I look around to find customers sipping coffee at a counter covered in work by local artists. So what is it? This, it seems, is what modern Bogotá is doing best: making artistic ventures work by combining them with other activities. La Peluquería (lapeluqueriabogota.com) is certainly not a conventional hairdressers, with its graffitied walls and reclaimed mannequins. The stylists are all visual artists rather than trained hairdressers; on Wednesdays haircuts are free, provided you let them do as they please; and if you'd rather not take a radical Colombian hairdo home as a souvenir, you can also amuse yourself in the design shop or bar. Read more here. Semana International delivers news about Colombia in English. Find more in our home.