Cultural Expressions & Spaces
Santiago de Cuba is the cradle of a variety of musical genres of Cuba. It has been recognized as the birthplace of son and bolero; traditional trova and coral expression have deep roots. Here were born great musicians, like Sindo Garay, Ñico Saquito, Eliades Ochoa, Compay Segundo, just to mention a few.
Santiago de Cuba is with no doubt an exceptional city, distinguished and privileged by its culture and identity, which combine several values that allow the visitor get in touch with the idiosyncrasy of its people, culture and history, while enjoying exotic nature and unique relief. In the city there are multiple architectural styles, from the baroque to the neoclassical. The Tree Parks, stair streets, colonial constructions with huge windows and thigh balconies are especially interesting.
Santiago de Cuba keeps historical and cultural treasures, as the first House of America, the first Cathedral of Cuba, the first open sky copper mine of the whole American continent or the first Cuabn museum. But beyond the charm of the urban environments, Santiago wouldn’t be what it is without its spontaneous, cheerful and natural people.
It’s the place from where Hernán Cortés left to the conquest of Mexico and where the Haitian revolution of Toussaint Louverture arrived in 1791.
Here was born the poet José María Heredia, one of the forerunners of Romanticism in the Spanish language, and here are the remains of José Martí – born in Havana - , the greatest Cuban revolutionary and thinker, also a poet, essayist, diplomat, teacher and fighter, considered the National Hero. At present there are magnificent poets, such as Alberto Alejandro Garrido Rodríguez born in 1966 recognized among the most outstanding authors of the country.
From the cultural point of view many elements are unique and distinguish Santiago de Cuba. As for the popular festivals of greater importance in the territory, it is worth mentioning the Carnival Santiaguero, considered the best in the country, and the Fiesta del Fuego.
There are in the city - recognized as the most Caribbean of Cuba - a score of important museums and for nightlife there are pleasant places, among cabarets, nightclubs, piano bars and party halls.
For these reasons, the city of Santiago de Cuba home to important cultural and artistic events such as the Caribbean Festival, the International Choir Festival and the Trova Pepe Sánchez International Festival, among others.
Cultural Festivals in Santiago de Cuba
Caribbean Festival (Fiesta del Fuego).
It is an international artistic, academic and community space event, held annually in the city of Santiago de Cuba, in the first week of July. This festival is one of the most important cultural events organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cuba, next to the Casa del Caribe. In it you can enjoy theoretical and cultural activities such as: exhibition of artistic movements, folk crafts and plastic arts.
International Choir Festival.
Cultural event that is held annually in the City of Santiago de Cuba. The whole musical and especially choral career of Santiago de Cuba makes it, as much in its Concert Halls as in its narrow streets, in its institutions and in its houses, as a sensitive and vast sounding board for the choirs of any Origin, which here find a great welcome and deep understanding. Santiago is, without a doubt, and this has to be developed and stimulated, the birthplace of choral singing in Cuba. As Armando Hart Dávalos said in 1978 at the XIII National Choir Festival, "The Capital of the Choirs and permanent seat of its National Festival, now International".
International Trova Festival Pepe Sánchez.
Cultural event that has an annual periodicity and is organized by the Provincial Center of Music "Miguel Matamoros" of Santiago de Cuba in sponsorship with the Cuban Institute of Music and the Provincial Directorate of Culture.
Cultural Billboard in Santiago de Cuba
JOSÉ MARÍA HEREDIA MUSEUM (NATIONAL MONUMENT).
- Literary workshop of the city / Thursday.
- Peña Chronicles of my city / Friday.
- Peña Shared Space / Friday.
- School of Bioenergy and Alternative Medicine / Saturdays.
- Craft course of the ACAA project "Rescuing traditions" / Saturdays.
AGUILERA SQUARE (OLD THEATER AGUILERA).
- Presentation of audiovisual projects of the city / Saturdays and Sundays.
FRANCISCO PRAT PUIG CULTURAL CENTER (ANCIENT SEMINAR SAN BASILIO MAGNO. NATIONAL MONUMENT).
PATIO de LOS DOS ABUELOS.
- Live presentations of septets and other clusters / every day.
MADRIGALIST CHORUS.
- Traditional music / Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
DOLORES CONCERT HALL
- Peña Rincón Lírico "Daniel Vázquez" / Saturday.
TUMBA FRANCESA "CARIDAD DE ORIENTE" (MASTER WORK OF THE ORAL AND IMMATERIAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY).
- French Drums Night / Tuesday and Thursday.
CASTILLO DEL MORRO MUSEUM (NATIONAL MONUMENT AND WORLD HERITAGE OF HUMANITY).
- Ceremony with the sunset / every day 6:30 PM
CUBAN HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENT MUSEUM (DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ HOUSE).
- Concert Music / Saturdays.
CARNIVAL MUSEUM.
- Folkloric show "Roots" / Tuesday to Friday 4:00 PM.
- Folklore show "Vivacidad Carnavalesca" / Saturdays 4:00 PM.
SANTA CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
- Bell tower lookout / Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
ANTONIO MACEO STUDIES CENTER.
- Book debate / Thursday.
- Meeting with History / Thursday.
- Peña El Jolongo / Friday.
- Peña Tardes Martianas / Friday.
- Ceramic Workshop Project for me / Saturdays.
- Peña Eden of the Muses / Saturdays.