CUBA 50 Celebrating Cuban Culture / MARCH 2021

All the latest cultural news from Cuba and what to see from the UK

Meet 10 Cuban women – from the fields of film, poetry, theatre, music, writing – who have made waves in Cuban culture over the last 60 years

From poet Nancy Morejon to choir director Digna Guerra we introduce you to 10 Cuban women who have made waves in Cuban culture over the last 60 years in the arts and continue to do so.

Enjoy!

Cuban theatre director

Fatima Patterson interview on what theatre means to her

Award-winning Cuban theatre actor, director and playwright, Fatima Patterson and her company Macuba have dedicated 30 years to making amazing theatre embedded physically, narratively and spiritually in her home town of Santiago de Cuba. Here she talks about her approach to theatre, her themes of race, gender and marginalisation, and her view on the way forward for artists out of the pandemic.

Interview with a Cuban female filmmaker on her ideas and Cuba's new platform for young cinema

Young Cuban filmmaker Carla Valdes talks frankly about her latest two films, about women's lives and the importance of intergenerational relationships, that have been helped by the newly established ICAIC development fund. "The beauty of the Fund is that it serves as a platform for a young cinema ...there is a space for all of us, and there is no greater strength than diversity."

Pupy y los que Son Son know the importance of having a good time

Cuban salsa maestro César Pedroso, otherwise known as Pupy, knows his audience: the dancer. This album ‘Pasandola bien’ which roughly translates as ‘Having a good time’ is a showcase for many different artists including young emerging singers too. Read a review here

Watch this film ‘Nkame: A Retrospective of Cuban Printmaker Belkis Ayón’

Belkis Ayón (1967-1999) was a Cuban artist and printmaker who mined the founding myth of the Afro-Cuban fraternal society of Abakuá to create her own powerful visual iconography. Some work by Belkis Ayon will be included in an exhibition at Tate Liverpool, UK ‘Whose Tradition?’ from 14 Nov 2021-Jan 2022.

WATCH the video here

Try some Cuban coffee direct from the Sierra Maestra mountains

Altura Sierra Maestra Cuban coffee is grown in the high Sierra Maestra mountains of Eastern Cuba. Strong with a clean, rich soft flavour and hint of honey. Freshly ground, for all coffee makers, or coffee beans for your perfect grind.

browse here

MORE TO DO AND SEE

Learn to dance Cuban style online

Missing your dance classes?
Cuban dance teachers all over the UK are offering regular sessions online, via Zoom, Facebook or Instagram, and some are preparing to offer classes outdoors soon.

Did you miss JAZZ PLAZA performances online?

Did you miss it?

From 19-24 January Cuba's world-renowned festival Jazz Plaza offered many hours of live performances, descargas (jams), master classes and discussions online. If you missed it, read all about it and watch some of the performances here for free.

Watch Leo Brouwer 'On life'

Watch Cuban modern classical guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer talk about life and hope in this short and sweet video.

WATCH HERE