News

From October 11 to 16, 2021, the Cuatrogatos Foundation will present the ninth edition of its annual Fiesta de la Lectura / The Reading Festival. This event, which takes place within the framework of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in the United States, has as its main objectives the promotion of reading, literature and the arts in Spanish in the Miami community.

The program includes activities for children, youth and adults - all free of charge - that will take place in different cultural and educational spaces in Miami. The Reading Festival is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs; the Culture Builds Florida program of the Florida Division of Arts and Culture, Artefactus Cultural Project, Imago Art in Action, Art for Us, Zunzún Arts & Education, Lectorum Publications and Jordan-Marcos The Agency.

- Premiere of the play for children El Señor Luciérnaga (Mr. Firefly), a one-man show with puppets, based on the homonymous story by Antonio Orlando Rodríguez published in Colombia by Panamericana Editorial. With the performance and staging of Leonardo Van Schermbeek and designs by him and Jefferson Quintana. This production is supported by the Culture Builds Florida program of the Florida State Division of Arts and Culture and is produced in partnership with The Piñata Factory.

- Premiere of Tengo un cuento en mi bolsillo (I Bring a Story in My Pocket), a literary-musical performance with finger puppets (digital) by the writer, actress and singer Cristina Rebull. This show, aimed at early childhood children, is co-produced by the Cuatrogatos Foundation and the Art For Us organization.

- Illustrated talk with images De dónde vienen los libros (Where do Books Come From), about the process of conception, writing and editing of a novel, by the author Antonio Orlando Rodríguez, for young high school students.

- Meetings with the author. Visits of children's and youth literature writers to schools.

–Donation of books in Spanish to schools. In this component of the program, we are especially grateful for the support received from New Jersey by Alex Correa, President and CEO of Lectorum Publications.

(These activities are intended for children, young people and teachers of the institutions where they will be presented and are not open to the general public).

–Una noche para niños mayores de edad (An Evening for Children of Legal Age): Presentation of the books Los carpinchos, by Alfredo Soderguit, and Los otros, by Mónica Montañés (writer) and Eva Sánchez Gómez (illustrator), published by Ediciones Ekaré.

Talk The Art Direction in Children's Books, by Alejandra Varela, designer and art director of Ekaré Europa. Also participating are Sergio Andricaín, writer, literary researcher and co-founder of the Cuatrogatos Foundation, and Trina Oropeza, founding partner and co-director of Imago Art in Action. With the virtual intervention of the author Mónica Montañés. This event is done in collaboration with Imago and Ediciones Ekaré.

Location: Imago Art in Action (150 Madeira Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134). Since capacity is limited, the public is requested to RSVP at Imago's phone: 786-857 6967.

–En mis tiempos había tiempo: Tributo a María Elena Walsh (In My time There Was Time. Tribute to María Elena Walsh). A literary, theatrical and videographic performance dedicated to the poetry and narrative of the great Argentine writer. We thank Sara Facio and the María Elena Walsh Foundation, from Argentina, for their valuable support in carrying out this tribute.

With the participation of the actors Mabel Roch and Juan David Ferrer. Photos courtesy of Sara Facio. Screenplay: Sergio Andricaín and Antonio Orlando Rodríguez. Direction: Juan David Ferrer. Artistic advice and lighting design: Eddy Díaz Souza. The show is presented as part of the Open Arts Fest Miami 2021, by Artefactus Cultural Project, with free admission until the capacity of the room is full.

Location: Artefactus Black Box (12302 SW 133rd Ct, Miami, FL 33186; phone 786 704 5715).

–El Señor Luciernaga, play for children, version of the homonymous story by Antonio Orlando Rodríguez. Acting and direction: Leonardo Van Schermbeek.

Location: Artefactus Black Box (12302 SW 133rd Ct, Miami, FL 33186; phone 786 704 5715).

In all the activities for children and young people of this ninth edition of the Reading Festival 2021, three new literary cards that we have added to the Tris-Tras Collection will begin to be distributed free of charge.

These postcards began to be published in 2013 and since then they have had the collaboration of prominent writers and illustrators, both from the Hispanic community in the United States and from different Latin American countries.

As usual, to develop this project we request a free theme image from the invited illustrators and, later, the writers are invited to write a poem or a short story based on one of the images. On this occasion, the new cards bring together talented artists from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Spain:

–La Maravillosa Aparición (The Marvelous Apparition). Illustration by Ciça Fittipaldi (Brazil). Text by María José Ferrada (Chile).

–Pregúntate (Ask Yourself). Illustration by Romanet Zárate (Bolivia). Text by Cecilia Pisos (Argentina).

–Cruzó el río el caballo rojo... (The Red Horse Crossed the River…) Illustration by Héctor Borlasca (Argentina). Text by Alejandro Palomas (Spain).

Since its inception, the Tris Tras collection of literary cards has been conceived as a space for meeting and dialogue between creators of different cultures and generations and as an alternative reading material for both children and adolescents who are part of the Hispanic community in Miami-Dade as for those who study the Spanish language in their educational centers.

The Cuatrogatos Foundation thanks all the people, organizations and companies that collaborate in the realization of this cultural day for their support and hopes to have, as always, a large and receptive audience of children, youth and adults in these activities. See you there starting October 11!

Our organization strongly recommends the public to wear masks and respect social distancing to comply with preventive health regulations.