Gainesville’s first-ever Cuban arts and culture festival, Bulla Cubana (boo-YA-coo-BAH-na), aims to share international talent with the community. As the first-ever festival of its kind, Bulla Cubana will feature a dynamic and diverse line-up of more than 20 events starting in January, hosted by more than a dozen iconic Gainesville cultural institutions.
The collection of Cuban fine artists, muralists, dancers, musicians, authors, photographers, academics and filmmakers to be featured from January through March marks the first large-scale, cross-collaboration of Gainesville’s arts leaders, coming together in order to promote the exchange of culture between Cuba and North Central Florida.
Bulla Cubana opened January 5, with the exhibit “Lights, Camera, Cuba!,” a selection of vintage Cuban movie posters from the Efrain Barradas Collection of the UF Library at the University Galleries.
Over the course of three months, through the concluding events on March 31, the Bulla Cubana calendar offers joyous and energetic Cuban events steeped in culture, through exhibits, films, performances, readings, concerts and presentations that will span the city.
“Bulla Cubana represents the passion, excitement and excellence that defines Cuba’s arts and culture scene,” said Randy Batista, a long-time Gainesville-based photographer who created Bulla Cubana.
“Meaning noise in Spanish, bulla represents the joyous celebration that this festival will bring to the amazing arts community here in Gainesville. The events are to be commemorated, experienced, and enjoyed by everyone through North Central Florida, as we celebrate these individuals for their artistic talents.”
Bulla Cubana is a volunteer-driven community project operating under the Community Foundation of North Central Florida and their non-profit status. For a full schedule of information and more information about Bulla Cubana, please visit www.bullacubana.org, follow us on social media, email us at bullacubana@gmail.com or call 352.375.1911