THE CERVANTES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS (FIC)

 

History

The origins of the festival go back to the Guanajuato University Theater, with its repertory of plays from Spain's "Golden Century", particularly the works of Cervantes.

The festival is an international cultural event, the most important in Mexico and one of the most relevant in America.

In the twenty-nine festivals to date, the program has brought together examples of culture from every region of the globe.

The festival is made possible by the organizational ability and economic aid of the Federal Government through its National Council for Culture and Art and the Government of the State of Guanajuato, as well as by support from our friends in other countries and the private sector.

The festival, as an cultural event of far-reaching importance, is now a deeply-rooted tradition with links to our sense of identity and recognition abroad, making the FIC an important part of Mexico's cultural heritage.

The festival has meant much for the cultural and artistic development of Mexico, being one of the most valuable possibilities for an opening to and confrontation with the arts all over the planet, with the worldviews of other cultures and contemporary conceptions of the cultural enterprise.

The origins of the Cervantes International Festival

In the early seventies, during the celebrations of the twentieth anniversary of the "Entremeses Cervantinos" (a series of short plays by Cervantes), Maestro Enrique Ruelas, one of the personalities of the Guanajuato cultural scene, sparked the interest of then President, Luis Echeverría Alvarez.

The Federal Executive decided to create, specifically in this city, a high-level international festival for the promotion of cultural, artistic and humanistic communication between countries.

Thus was born the Cervantes International Festival (FIC), the "festival of the spirit".

The FIC - member of the European Association of Festivals - is the result of the efforts made year upon year by the Federal Government, through the National Council for Culture and Arts and in close collaboration with the Guanajuato State Government, Guanajuato City Hall and the University of Guanajuato.

With the participation of the Government of the State of Guanajuato, on October 12, 1972, the Trust Committee of the First Festival was officially constituted, with the renowned actress Dolores del Río as President, and a number of important personalities from the world of banking, industry and finance from all over the country, who gathered together the most representative artists of the time.

Thus was born the International Cervantes Festival born, named in honor of the writer Miguel Cervantes Saavedra, taking its lead from the university theatrical projects that regularly presented the work of this renowned author.

The same impulse saw the remodeling of the Villa Cervantina, an aged stone square where a monument to Quijote was erected and which subsequently served for theatrical and musical performances.

The purpose of the Cervantes International Festival is to:

Present the most outstanding cultural productions in the contemporary program.

Offer the city, state and country an artistic event brought about through programming that represents plurality, diversity in terms of genre and trends and with links to all social sectors.

Create and transform habits of participation in cultural life with a view to consolidating a democratic culture in the most direct manner.

Create a space for openness and free exchange for the promotion of Mexican artists throughout the world.

Promote the development of the Guanajuato and Mexican artistic movement through knowing and confronting contemporary methods, visions and conceptions of the artistic enterprise.

Reaffirm the position of the "living arts" for contemporary humanity on a direct, emotional and intense level of communication which differentiates them markedly from other media of communication in our era.

Why was the FIC created?

Conference for Artistic Diversity

The programs for 2001-2006 are an ample demonstration of cultural production not only at a state level, but also nationally and internationally.

Each program emphasizes one particular region of the world and one in Mexico, with the aim of making possible a deeper understanding of cultural processes.

The programming for the Continent and Country of Honor includes:

  • Theatrical and Musical Arts

  • Plastic Arts

  • Cinema

  • Literature

  • Academic Conferences

2001

Continent: Oceania

Guest Country of Honor: Australia

Mexican Region: The Southeast

Guest State of Honor: Veracruz

2002

Continent: America

Mexican Region: The Northwest

2003

Continent: Europe

Mexican Region: The Center

2004

Continent: Africa

Mexican Region: The Northwest

2005

Continent: Asia

Mexican Region: Central West

2006

Festival of World Culture

Programs for all

As well as the traditional stages throughout the city and in the main squares and parks, the FIC is to be de-centralized and part of the program presented in cities and towns around the State of Guanajuato.

In order to make access available to all social groupings, the FIC offers a high-quality program in open and unconventional spaces at no cost to the public.

The FIC: Catalyst for Cultural Development in Guanajuato and Mexico

With the aid of the Guanajuato Cultural Institute, the University of Guanajuato and the National Institute of the Fine Arts, the FIC is to implement a permanent pedagogical program aimed at basic education, updating current knowledge and perfecting techniques, targeting artists resident in the state.

In the period 2001-2006 the FIC plans to organize numerous international specialist workshops and oriented towards the promotion and development of artistic creation in Mexico.

Each year, within the programming framework, the FIC is to put on a number of special workshops, practical demonstrations, classes and conferences with the collaboration of the participating artists. The program is open to not only to artists but to students and amateurs also.

Finding a Public

The FIC represents an opportunity for gaining knowledge of and coming into contact with the most outstanding exponents of the arts on the planet.

The festival program is systematically orientated towards appealing to the widest variety of tastes but with a view to broadening the cultural horizons of all.

All the festival's efforts are concentrated on achieving the richest possible quality of communication between the artists and their public.

The state television channel, Canal 4, and Radio University Guanajuato transmit special programs which permit the public to enjoy the performances and to deepen their knowledge of the guest continent and country of honors' culture, as well as that of the special guest Mexican region.

Subsidized Price Policy

One of the principal objectives of the FIC is to provide an educational and cultural experience for the general public at affordable prices.

Students, teachers and artists, who hold valid ID demonstrating them to be such, receive a 50% discount on festival tickets.

Residents of Guanajuato, who in their many and varied ways contribute to the successful outcome of the festival, also receive a 50% discount on tickets on all events held Monday through Thursday and 30% on those taking place from Friday to Sunday. To make this easier for those entitled to discounts there is the "Amigo del FIC" card.

Promotion of National Artistic Creation

The FIC promotes national artistic endeavor through co-productions with national and international bodies, special productions and by commissioning works and exchanges from artists.

The arts groups of the National Institute for the Fine Arts and the University of Guanajuato have a key role in the event. They have the responsibility to hire soloists, conductors and practitioners of the highest order.

We are the FIC

The Federal Government
CONACULTA (National Council for Arts and Culture) and the State Government work together on the design and the realization of the FIC.

The Governing Body of the FIC consists of:

  • The President of CONACULTA

  • The Governor of the State of Guanajuato

  • The Director General of INBA (National Institute for the Fine Arts)

  • The Rector of the University of Guanajuato

  • The President of the Guanajuato State Institute for Culture

  • The Mayor of Guanajuato

  • The General Director of the FIC

The programming for the FIC for 2001-2006 is characterized by its artistic excellence. The festival is open to all genres, directions and manifestations in world culture.

The FIC's goal is to promote a generous and pluralist dialog with the wide diversity of world culture, providing a space in which to encounter and exchange ideas on art and methodologies.

The development of artistic creation in the State of Guanajuato is the priority of the FIC.