The cultural year in Cuba starts strongly thanks to the International Jazz Plaza Festival 2026, which will hold its 41st edition from January 25 to February 1. Established as one of the country's great musical traditions, the event confirms its diverse and symbolic vocation, placing Cuba on the international jazz map.
Although Havana will be the epicenter, the Festival will also expand to Santa Clara, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba, reinforcing a decentralized cultural geography consistent with the history of jazz in different regions of the country.
One of the most notable features of this edition will be its marked international character, with the participation of artists from more than 15 countries. Jazz Plaza thus reaffirms itself as a space for global musical dialogue, which not only focuses on concerts but also on reflection and education.
The "Primera Línea" forum will once again foster exchanges about the music industry, sustainability, and the challenges of the creative sector, in a complex economic context that enhances the symbolic and cultural value of the event's persistence.
Beyond material difficulties, the Jazz Plaza Festival stands as a declaration of principles and a barometer of the state of jazz in Cuba. On its stages converge established figures and young talents, traditions and contemporary explorations, in constant dialogue with Afro-Cuban heritage and the universal languages of the genre.
At the same time, the Cuban scene experiences its first major annual celebration this Sunday with the Villanueva Days, conceived as a place for gathering, analysis, and tribute to the national theater.
The program includes stage productions, theoretical panels, editorial presentations, dramatized readings, and recognitions, including the Villanueva Critics Prize and the 2026 National Theater Award. With actions that combine creation, thought, and memory, the Villanueva Days aspire to become an essential reference for the theatrical and cultural life of the country.
