The UK based Santiago Quartet were formed in Mexico City in 2008 with the intention of playing rarely performed pieces by living Latin American composers, and through concerts and classes are introducing audiences to a rich repertoire. Ahmed Dickinson is a Cuban classical guitarist based in the UK.

Rogelio Orizondo, received the 2010 Virgilio Pinera Award with Ayer deje de matarme gracias a ti,Heiner Muller(I Didn't Kill Myself Yesterday because of You,Heiner Muller).

Watch this teaser for documentary being shown in the London Latin American Film Festival this November

Cuban swimmer Lorenzo Perez won the first gold medal for the Cuban delegation taking part at the Fourth Parapan American Games in Guadalajara.

The 2011 Human Development Report, just published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), places Cuba in the 51st position, two steps up compared to the previous report.
According to the document, Chile -in the 44th spot- is the best-ranked nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by Argentina (45), Barbados (47), and Uruguay (48).

Haiti (187) is the only country in the region included in the "Low Human Development" category, out of a total of the 187 nations listed.

Last friday Cuban nueva trova singer Silvio Rodriguez gave an outdoor concert in Revolution Square – General Antonio Maceo – in Santiago de Cuba to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the monument dedicated to Antonio Maceo, hero of the War of Independence.

Cuban culture has lost about 14,913,300 million USD as a consequence of the U.S.-imposed economic, trade and financial blockade for the last 50 years.

This has included lost earnings from exports of goods and services, relocation to other markets, additional spending on freight, and monetary-financial damages.

The Cuban Minister of Tourism announced that the Caribbean nation already received -for the eighth consecutive year- its two-millionth foreign visitor in September.The press release notes that the figure was reached 32 days sooner than in 2010 and it reaffirms Cuba as one of the main tourist destinations in the Caribbean area.

In its announcement, the Minister of Tourism recognizes the contribution made by friends all over the world, including clients, tour-operators, travel agencies, airlines, hotel chains, and journalists, among many others.

'Too Much' by Lowkey featuring Shadia Mansour, is produced by Nutty P. Lowkey is a Poet, Playwright, Political Activist and Hip Hop artist.

There is a scene that recurs as a mantra in Cuban geography several times a year, where a group of young people travel from one point of the island to another in order to claim their place in the birth of each new rock festival and any other event of significance related to the hardest rhythms in Cuba.

Thousands are following in their footsteps, and more than anyone else they follow the established groups in the first division of this genre, in which the calibre of the line-up includes the likes of "Zeus", "Agonizer", "Combat Noise", "Hipnosis", "Tendencia" and "Escape", without overlooking the excellent stylistic rigour of groups such as ‘Anima Mundi' and ‘Tesis de Menta'.

A group of UK actors will perform a selection of Harold Pinter's works in Havana, Cuba in November at the Havana International Theatre festival.

In a Foreign Office film launched 6th October, Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta talks about the UK's artistic flair and why he chose to join the Royal Ballet in Britain.
The film is one of the ‘See Britain through my eyes' series featuring individuals from home and abroad talking about their experiences of modern Britain in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Carlos's film is being released to coincide with his performance in Limen, Marguerite and Armand and Requiem with the Royal Ballet. Watch his short film below.

"I am very moved any time something transcendental happens…and when people recognize the quality of our music," said Cuban singer Omara Portuondo last week speaking about her recent nomination to the Latin Grammy Awards for her children's album Reir y cantar (Laugh and Sing).
Winner of the 2010's Latin Grammy Awards for her album Gracias (Thanks), Portuondo said that on Reir y cantar she had the honor to work with Enriqueta Almanza with the participation of the children's choir Solfa, directed by Maylan Avila, and the Diminuto choir, led by Carmen Rosa Lopez. Portuondo added that her album won an award at the 2011 Cubadisco International Fair.
Meanwhile, Adalberto "el caballero del son" Alvarez said he was "very happy" for this nomination at the Latin Grammy awards. "No matter what happens, a nomination is very important. It is also a prize to me," said Alvarez.
Alvarez and his band are competing for the best tropical traditional album with their latest production entitled El son de altura, which includes songs by Adalberto Alvarez, and Rodulfo Vaillant and Jorge Díaz.
"This is my first time nominated for a Latin Grammy," said Alvarez who highlighted that "Cuban musicians do not obtain more awards due to the difficulties and the obstacles we have had to face to get albums to reach that market. However, Cuba is full of talent and there are lots of musicians who could be included in that selective nominee's list."
The albums El son de altura and Reir y cantar belong to Bis Music label, which presented 23 albums to the selection jury of the Latin Grammy awards.
Cuba is also represented by Septeto Santiaguero with the album Oye mi son Santiaguero (Listen to my Son from Santiago) from the Catalan label Picap, winner of the 2011 Cubadisco International Fair in traditional popular music, and which is now competing in the category of best traditional tropical album.
During a telephone conversation with Juventud Rebelde newspaper, Fernando Dewar, director of the Septeto Santiaguero, said they are very happy. "We received the news in Madrid and we were so happy that I imagine the future award holders will feel like us since this nomination is already a prize to us."

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A pair of tickets are free to each of 2 lucky winners of this competition for the Dia de la Cultura fiesta of live Cuban music, dance and poetry on saturday 22 October 2011, with Omar Puente & his band Raices Cubanas plus much more.

Cuban writer Leonardo Padura won one of the 2011 Literary Critics Awards in Cuba for his novel "El hombre que amaba a los perros", (The man who loved dogs) in which he narrates Trotsky´s exile and murder while he criticizes Stalinism.

Padura´s book won the annual award together with six works in the novel, short story, essay and theatre genres.