The Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP) will hold its first-ever convention bringing together all sectors of Puerto Rico's arts industry in one place.
El Cue, Mercado de música, teatro y danza, will take place during the ICP's flagship event, Campechada 2024, and will serve as a showcase of artists and their projects, with the goal of connecting them with key figures and institutions looking to present new artists in theaters, festivals and various artistic and cultural events.
The event will be held in the Sala Sinfónica building at the Centro de Bellas Artes on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 2024. Attendees will be able to enjoy more than 60 artistic performances, panels, workshops and talks, as well as several networking opportunities.
Shining a light on Puerto Rican talent
One of the ICP's programmatic priorities is placing special emphasis on the commercial internationalization of cultural products. With that goal in mind, the organization took on the challenge of projecting Puerto Rican talent through the creation of El Cue, with the purpose of showing the world "the rich and diverse professional ecosystem of the performing arts that we have in the country."
Rubén Amador, director of the ICP's Music Program, explained to Platea that Campechada is the perfect moment to hold an event like this, since a large portion of the local artistic community will be gathering at Campechada 2024. The opportunity that an event like El Cue provides will allow the Island to "restore Puerto Rico's position as a mecca of the arts and foster the development of our market," Amador added.
Along those same lines of connecting Puerto Rican artists with the rest of the world, representatives from Brazil, Canada and the United States will be present during the event.
Everything you need to know about El Cue
El Demo In the showcase room, El Demo will also take place, a space for 20 short, 15-minute performances in music, theater arts and dance. Amador describes it as a way to make your pitch.
Networking
El Cue is set up to forge connections between artists and the industry, and it has three areas designed to do just that.
Coffee shop: In the morning you could connect with a festival director or meet a producer at the Primera Llamada café.
Lounge Area: In the afternoon you will have space to relax in the Mixing Room, where you can connect with colleagues and perhaps coordinate an upcoming event.
One-on-One Meeting: For a more intimate setting to share your project with a specific person, you can do so in the Pas de Deux room. You will have 30 minutes to present your proposal and possibly begin negotiating your project.
Exhibitors
The lobby area of the Sala Sinfónica will host around 60 exhibitors so that companies, institutions and organizations can display the products and services they offer to the performing arts community on the Island. The categories in which they will be organized are listed below:
Festivals
Production companies
Publishers, record labels and distributors
Musical instrument stores, equipment and theater and dance supplies
Representatives, agents and artist management services
Recording studios and technical services
Educational institutions
Public relations professionals and media outlets
Ticketing vendors and related services
Consulates, municipalities, agencies and government institutions
Panels, workshops and talks
Those present at El Cue will have the opportunity to enjoy a series of panels, workshops and talks that will bring them closer to the performing arts industry in Puerto Rico.
Among these, attendees will be able to learn more about funding opportunities for artists, new technologies in theatrical production and sustainable business models in the arts.
Saturday, Aug. 31
12:00 p.m. Producing beyond borders, collaborative music production
1:00 p.m. Funding opportunities for artists
2:00 p.m. Findings from the Arts & Economic Prosperity Study in Puerto Rico
3:00 p.m. Financial planning for artists
4:00 p.m. Get ready to get hired
Sunday, September 1
11:00 a.m. New technologies in theatrical production
12:00 p.m. ¡Vámonos de Tour! How to conceptualize your music project for export
1:00 p.m. Beyond the premiere: How to build an exportable theatrical repertoire
2:00 p.m. Info Session: Festivales ICP
3:00 p.m. Sustainable business models in the arts
A database takes shape
Asked about the future of El Cue beyond the Campechada, Amador explains that artists who register to participate in the event will become part of a database that will continue the process of connecting them with the industry.
The platform is called Swap Card and will allow you to connect with the other participants, including artists, suppliers, stores and companies. Registration is free.
To be part of El Cue, you can register through the platform or in person at the Sala Sinfónica starting at 10:00 a.m.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
