Thinking about moving to Costa Rica? Discover how Lucas and Tomi left Argentina to build a new life in Santa Teresa, creating Agora Gallery—a cultural space where art, storytelling, writing, books, and community bring people together.
There’s a quiet space above Playa Carmen that most people walk right past without ever knowing it’s there. No sign calls you in, no polished storefront announces its presence. You reach it by taking a set of side stairs beside Shatori Sushi, climbing just above the movement of the road, and stepping into something that feels removed from the pace below. This is Agora Studio, and for Tomi, one of its owners, it is not simply a business – it is the result of a life that slowly, and very consciously, changed direction.
Tomi and his partner have been coming to Santa Teresa from Argentina for more than twenty years. In the early days, their visits were simple. They would come for a month, surf, enjoy the rhythm of the place, and then return to their lives in Argentina. It was a contrast many people who arrive here understand well – the difference between structured city life and the openness that exists here along the coast. Santa Teresa was a place of freedom, something separate from the responsibilities waiting back home.
When his partner became pregnant, Tomi found himself facing a moment that many people recognize but rarely speak about openly. The question was not just about becoming a parent – it was about what that would mean for the life he had been living. Would the travel stop? Would the sense of freedom that came with these trips disappear, replaced by structure and routine? It is a shift that often feels inevitable.
But for Tomi, it did not unfold that way.
Instead of stepping away from Santa Teresa, he began to see it as something even more important. What had once been a personal escape became something he wanted to share with his children. He began coming more often, not less. The trips grew longer. Weeks turned into extended stays, and eventually, his children began attending school here during the months they were in Costa Rica. They were growing up between two cultures, experiencing two different ways of living, and that, for Tomi, became something deeply valuable.
By 2025, the decision had already been made in practice long before it was spoken out loud. The family moved permanently to Santa Teresa.
From Surf Trips to Purpose: Building a Creative Life in Santa Teresa
Living here full-time, however, brought a different kind of reality. What had once felt effortless as a visitor now required intention. The days needed structure, meaning, and connection. In Argentina, Tomi had been immersed in a busy, fast-moving environment, working on the computer and constantly engaged. Here, the pace slowed, and with that slowing came clarity. He realized that while the environment offered beauty and freedom, it did not automatically provide a sense of belonging.
He needed to build that.
Agora grew from that need. It was not born from a business plan or a market gap, but from a personal search for direction and connection within the community. Tomi describes it as a space that brings together several parts of his life at once – a library for the books that have shaped him, a place where children can learn and experience creativity, and a kind of open space for adults to explore talents and interests that often get pushed aside in everyday life.
For him, community is not just proximity. It is built around shared questions, shared curiosity, and shared experiences. That idea sits at the heart of Agora.
When you step inside the studio, you begin to understand this immediately. The space itself carries a presence that feels different from what most people expect. Shelves along the walls hold books that invite you to slow down rather than scroll past. Tables and desks are filled with objects that seem to belong to another time – an old typewriter, film cameras with rolls of film nearby, a handheld labeling tool that presses letters into plastic strips. These are not decorative pieces. They are reminders of how things were once done, when writing required patience, when photography demanded attention, and when creating something meant giving it time.
There is a sensory weight to these objects. You can almost hear the sound of the typewriter keys striking the ribbon before meeting the paper. You can imagine the pause before capturing an image on film, knowing there are no endless retakes. These are the roots of the craft, and their presence shapes the atmosphere of the space.
For Tomi, this connection to the past is not about resisting the present, but about understanding what should not be lost. He speaks openly about the role of technology, including artificial intelligence, recognizing that it has its place in modern life. But he is equally clear that it cannot replace storytelling. The act of reading, of writing, of creating something from within, holds a different kind of depth – one that cannot be replicated through speed or automation.
Why Agora Studio Matters: Art, Storytelling, and Community Connection
One of the most telling ways he describes this comes from something very simple. He talks about watching someone read. It could be on the beach, or in a café, surrounded by noise, music, conversation, and the constant presence of phones. And yet, the person reading is somewhere else entirely. There is a silence that forms between the reader and the words, a kind of invisible space where everything else falls away. In that moment, imagination takes over, creating images, emotions, and experiences that exist only within that connection.
For Tomi, that is what matters. That is what he hopes to offer. The idea that when someone finishes a book and steps back into the world, even here in Santa Teresa, something inside them has shifted. Their perspective has changed, even if only slightly. That subtle transformation is powerful, and it is something he believes is worth protecting and sharing.
Agora extends beyond literature into a broader creative space. Since opening, more artists have begun to pass through – writers, musicians, painters – each bringing their own energy into the studio. It is becoming a place where people gather not out of obligation, but out of a desire to create and connect. In a town filled with restaurants, surf shops, and constant activity, having a space dedicated to imagination and artistic expression adds something essential to the balance of the community.
That role has become even more important with the recent closing of Galleria, which left many local artists without a place to show their work. Agora is beginning to offer its walls as a new home for exhibitions, creating opportunities for artists to be seen and to share their work with others. In March 2026, the studio featured an exhibition by Alvaro Perez, whose detailed sea creatures filled the space with texture and imagination, giving a glimpse into what Agora can grow into as a living gallery.
The studio is also active throughout the week, offering workshops that invite participation from the community. While many of the classes are currently held in Spanish, they are open to everyone, reflecting the inclusive nature of the space. From literary discussions and drawing workshops to collage, singing, and hands-on jewelry making, the offerings are less about perfection and more about engagement – about giving people the chance to try, explore, and reconnect with their creativity.
Looking ahead, Tomi continues to think about how to expand access to literature, particularly for children. One of his ongoing ideas is to bring books into public schools, creating spaces where younger generations can develop a relationship with reading and imagination early on. Until then, Agora serves as a starting point – a place where those resources already exist, waiting to be discovered.
What makes this story part of the Living the Dream series is not simply that Tomi moved to Santa Teresa. Many people do that. What sets it apart is what came after. He recognized the opportunity to contribute, to create something that did not exist, and to offer it to the community in a way that invites participation and connection.
In a place where so many arrive looking for a different way of living, Agora stands as an example of what can happen when someone chooses to go a step further – to not only find something meaningful for themselves, but to build something that allows others to experience it as well.
For those who have come here searching for a slower pace, for creativity, for connection, or for a way to engage more deeply with the place they now call home, Agora is there. Quietly. Without signs. Without noise.
Just up the stairs.
👉 More from the Living the Dream series:
Nancy and the Path of Practice
Cholo’s Frescazoo: Natural juices made local
A Surfer, a Trash Grabber, and 18,000 Steps of Gratitude
Next week, the story continues.
In Part 2 of our feature on Agora Studios, we sit down with Lucas – Tomi’s friend, creative partner, and co-founder of the space – to hear his side of the journey. From the early vision behind Agora to the deeper meaning of building a creative community in Santa Teresa, Lucas shares the path, challenges, and inspiration that helped bring this dream to life.
Stay tuned as we step further behind the glass doors of Agora and into the minds of the people shaping one of Santa Teresa’s newest cultural spaces.
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Workshops are now happening throughout the week, offering opportunities for people of all ages to step into the creative process.
To explore upcoming workshops, storytelling nights, and creative gatherings at Agora Studios, follow them on Instagram at @agora.santateresa
(Most are in Spanish, but all are welcome.)
Taller de dibujo – abrir el portal para conectar con la magia del dibujo
Drawing workshop – connect with the magic of drawing
Lunes/Mondays, 6:00 PM
Taller de Escritura
A space for creative writing, reflection, and expression
Martes/Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Deriva Rampante – una charla sobre literatura
A literary talk and exploration of ideas
Jueves/Thursdays, 7:30 PM
Clases de canto (niños y adultos)
Singing lessons for children and adults
Viernes/Fridays, 10:00 AM (kids)
Viernes/Fridays, 4:00 PM (adults)
Create Your Own Ring
Work with fire and real tools to create a ring from scratch
Sabado/Saturdays, 6:00 PM
Collage Workshop
Create through play, freedom, and intuition (materials included)
Sabado/Saturdays, 6:00 PM
