Glimpses of the Cultural Summer

After nearly two months of activity led by cultural institutions to provide entertainment for the population, the cultural summer season came to a close in Ciego de Ávila. Music, dance, visual arts, theater, literary creation, among other expressions, were offered to their audiences through the work of artists and cultural promoters.

The Provincial Council of Visual Arts presented the exhibition Children’s Motifs, the René Rodríguez Regional Landscape Salon, as well as artistic creation workshops, which provided cultural opportunities both for groups of creators and for the public.

The Music and Entertainment Marketing Company (Musicávila) showcased its catalog at different venues, enriching the summer scene, while the Provincial Council of Performing Arts covered multiple activities through its theater groups.

Book and reading promotions were abundant in various cultural spaces, both in the city and in local communities.

The provincial branches of Cuba’s cultural vanguards —the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) and the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS)— demonstrated the importance of preserving regular cultural spaces despite the complexities of the current Cuban context.

UNEAC maintained its regular programming. Among the most noteworthy offerings were traditional spaces where members shared their talents. Particularly highlighted were the visual arts exhibitions Punto de vista and ¡Ríete pa’ que no te duela! 2, held at the Azagaya gallery, by Pedro Quiñones and Osvaldo Gutiérrez (Osval), respectively.

The summer workshops gave space to master of dance Ángel Morán Paz for the training of future dancers, in recognition of his outstanding performance.

During this period, AHS stood out for its commitment to implementing a diverse program and for the quality of its activities. Thanks to teamwork, the interests, tastes, and preferences not only of its regular participants but also of the wider youth population were considered. Not surprisingly, the Casa del Joven Creador remained packed.

Yoandry Chamorro Belén (Dry), vice president of AHS in the province, told Invasor: *“In July we echoed the activities commemorating the historic events of July 26, and we grew stronger with the incorporation of creators from other parts of the country.

“August was also a month of intense cultural work, as creators from different disciplines extended their activities not only in the provincial capital but also in communities across several municipalities.”*

With La casa por la ventana on July 5, the Casa del Joven Creador, AHS headquarters, launched the Summer Always Young 2025 program, unfolding a monthlong agenda of activities.

From all the above, a reflection emerges: the summer cultural programming displayed elements of diversity; however, it still lacks sufficient engagement with key themes and issues essential to the relevance of each activity’s design, which continue to be addressed only superficially.

While good intentions are evident among those involved in the cultural process, success was not predominant across all activities. It is worth reflecting on how to further enrich cultural programming, as what has been done so far remains insufficient. Cultural work is not about “playing and stopping music” or merely testing a microphone before an audience. Today, fundamental issues for cultural development are addressed only “on the surface.”

It falls to “cultural professionals” to rethink the ideas, content, and scripts used in program design.

Ethics and aesthetics must be linked to the cultural discourse, with creativity prioritized over rhetoric. There is an urgent need to rethink, with a cultural studies perspective, not only the enjoyment of culture during the summer but throughout the year, in order to enhance the development of all participants in the cultural process—carriers, receivers, and intermediaries alike—ultimately contributing to the well-being of the population.