The second half of 2025 confirmed the strength and resilience of the Ministry of Culture’s system of institutions, preserving traditions and systematic events despite energy shortages that forced a rethinking of how to bring art and literature to the people, and further validated the conviction that Cuba is culture.
One example of this was the essential Ernest Hemingway International Colloquium, held from June 25 to 28 in locations linked to the Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, such as Cojímar and San Francisco de Paula—in addition to the theoretical event at the National Museum of Fine Arts—which brought together national and international researchers to discuss the writer’s work and legacy.
That event strengthened academic ties and revived joint research projects with cultural institutions in the capital.
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On the very day that Havana was closing the Hemingway Colloquium, the always well-received Cucalambeana Festival began in Las Tunas. Celebrating the tradition of the espinela (décima) and rural culture in El Cornito, the festival ran until July 2nd. Gatherings, décima competitions, and tributes solidified the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and the presence of women in oral tradition.
To commemorate the 196th birthday of Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo (1829-1862), the event’s inspiration, locals enjoyed a variety of activities on the long city street that bears his name. These included a children’s party, improvised verse performances by renowned poets, and traditional folk music.
The 24th Ibero-American Colloquium on the Décima and Improvised Verse was also successfully held in the Vicente García Provincial Museum. A highlight of the colloquium was the panel discussion on the 70th anniversary of the “Controversy of the Century,” led by Jesús Orta Ruiz (1922-2005) and Angelito Valiala (1916-1987) of the Vicente García Provincial Museum.
From June 29 to July 7, the Aquelarre National Humor Festival filled Havana theaters with shows and tributes to emblematic figures of the genre, highlighting its enduring relevance as a mass cultural expression and its capacity to engage with social realities and new generations.
This year, the unforgettable Juana Bacallao was honored on the 100th anniversary of her birth.
Fruitful cultural exchanges, dances, and tributes to African and Caribbean traditions reinforced Santiago de Cuba’s international profile as a regional epicenter and significantly enhanced the prestige and relevance of the Caribbean Festival and its Fiesta del Fuego (Festival of Fire), which celebrated its 44th edition from July 3 to 9 in that eastern city.
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Varadero hosted Josone Rumba, Jazz & Son from August 25 to 31, with a musical program in the famous park featuring more than 30 artists, headlined by the popular singer Issac Delgado. The program combined traditional and contemporary styles, delighting both national and international audiences.
Meanwhile, the IV Havana Oral Literature Encounter, held from September 25 to 28, offered engaging activities for young people, featuring improvisational poets from various provinces and international delegations.
The décima (a ten-line stanza form) and poetic improvisation reaffirmed their status as vibrant practices and spaces for popular education, perfectly aligned with contemporary trends.
The spaces of the Cuba Pavilion brought together guests from Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Chile, and Spain, as well as 30 Cuban artists. Other venues also featured prominently, such as the theater at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Lenin Hill—in the Regla municipality—and Casa de las Américas.
National culture received welcome news in October when the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana was formally admitted as a member of the prestigious Silk Road Arts Festivals Network.
Viengsay Valdés, general director of the National Ballet of Cuba, received the certificate of membership at a ceremony held during the 24th China SPAF Performing Arts Fair, hosted at the Bocom New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center in Shanghai.
The cultural year concluded in December with the 46th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema—from December 4th to 14th—and the 27th FIART International Handicrafts Fair—from December 6th to 21st, with the province of Matanzas taking center stage.
Both events presented awards, boosted cultural markets, and showcased national creativity despite material limitations.
IMAGE CREDIT: Alain Amador Pardo Photos (ACN archive)
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
