With the help of the Cuban government, the local authorities of San Diego de Cuba, and the Provincial Council of the Performing Arts (CPAE), Circuba is back with its 18th edition this year, From August 31 to September 4.

Festival Director, Rodolfo Miguel Pacios Cabrera, shared with the press that this is the first year the event is happening outside Havanna, and they are grateful to province of Santiaguera for hosting the event in Santiago de Cuba’s majestic Heredia Theater.  

Of the 178 applicant artists, 45 made it to the festival and will compete in the next few days. 

Artists are from 19 countries, that includes Germany, Belarus, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Peru and Ghana, and of course, the host country Cuba.

The jury includes international experts such as:

• Pavel Kotov, Senior Casting Director at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (Canada),
• Laszlo Endresz, director of the Blackpool Tower Circus (United Kingdom),
• Corty Zoppis, director of the Zoppis Circus (Italy),
• Clary Hernández, Director of the Development Center of the Havana Company (Cuba)
• Manuel Romero Gascó, magic artists from from El Mago Gascó (Cuba),  
• Rubén Caballero, owner of the Hermanos Caballero Circus (Mexico-United States),
• Luisa Raluy, director of the Raluy Legacy Circus (Spain),
• Ronald Wendorf, director of the Berlin State School of Arts (Germany),
• Adans Peres, director and artistic producer of Starlight Production & Showbusiness (Spain).

Read the full-length article in Spanish at the Sierra Maestra.

Main image: Ronald Wendorf, Festival Director (in center white shirt) surrounded by artists and organizers.