Jazz Plaza Festival Returns to Villa Clara for Second Edition

Villa Clara Hosts International Jazz Plaza Festival Once Again
Under the slogan From Havana to Santiago, Villa Clara will host, for the second time, the International Jazz Plaza Festival 2026. This artistic event, scheduled from January 25 to February 1, will pay tribute to painter and engraver Alfredo Sosabravo and musician José Luis Cortés "El Tosco."

Expanded Program and International Participation
During a press conference held today at the Hotel Central in Santa Clara, Víctor Rodríguez García, the national president of the event, stated that the provincial capital recently hosted the Longina Sings to Corona Festival, which had a broad reach and, while not a direct competitor, serves as motivation.

He explained that 286 artists from 19 countries will participate in the jazz celebration, primarily from Spain, France, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, and the United States. The United States will contribute 100 musicians, including Dayramir González.

Future Expansion and Educational Focus
The event's leadership, he assured, aims to add new venues. A step forward in this regard is the festival's expansion to Holguín province and efforts for Matanzas and Camagüey to host it for the first time in 2027.

Special importance was granted to students from the Artistic Education system, who will play a prominent role in various festival spaces. This initiative will help them consolidate their artistic careers and ensure the future of the event.

Diverse Venues and Rich History
Elliot Porta Rodríguez, president of the festival's Organizing Committee in Villa Clara, declared that this year's provincial program will have a broader design, featuring colloquiums and master classes at the Latin American Cultural Promotion Center, the Pórtico Gallery, the Museum of Decorative Arts, the El Mejunje Cultural Center, and the local headquarters of the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists.

Founded in 1980, the International Jazz Plaza Festival has become a stage for the most virtuosic jazz instrumentalists, having featured legends such as Chucho Valdés, Arturo O'Farrill, Snarky Puppy, Pedrito Martínez, Antonio Sánchez, Christian McBride, and Stefan Jonson.