Santiago de Cuba hosts Santiago Creativo 5.0 festival

The Santiago Creativo 5.0 festival has commenced in Santiago de Cuba, focusing on the impact and development of cultural industries. Running until November 8, the event brings together entrepreneurs, academics, artists, and experts to discuss music, literature, visual arts, gastronomy, and innovation.

Key discussions at the Elvira Cape Provincial Library centered on how cultural expressions can contribute to local development and territorial well-being. Reinier Limonta Montero, director of the provincial Territorial Development Office, emphasized the need to create value chains from cultural manifestations and implement unconventional business models to foster innovation within existing legal frameworks.

Experts highlighted the importance of connecting cultural sectors with tourism and the non-state sector. Specific areas of interest include the rum-making tradition, the production of musical instruments, and the necessity of developing policies to retain young talent. Additionally, Iván Barreto Reyes, vice-rector of the local ISA branch, noted the need to better leverage the economic benefits of the artistic sector through specialized training, such as degrees in Cultural Management for Development.