Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.- Fernando Brugman, acting Director of the Regional Culture Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNESCO, acknowledged on Tuesday this city's efforts to preserve its material, spiritual and natural heritage.

Celina Gonzalez, the Queen of Cuban country music (Musica Campesina), died today in Havana at the age of 86, after a long illness. Born in Matanzas (1928) she was a very successful singer and composer. She sang on stages all over the world, with Benny More, Nat King Cole and many others. In the 1940s she met Reutillo Dominguez from Guantanamo, a great guitarist and vocalist, and they became the duo Celina y Reutillo (a couple in life and art). Celina and Reutilio also wrote Yo soy el punto cubano: the recording was a hit in many countries throughout the world. In 1964 they separated and Celina began her solo career.

Carlos, as well as a number of other Royal Ballet artists, were recipients of a variety of accolades at this year's National Dance Awards. Carlos was honoured to receive the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement. His Royal Ballet colleague Natalia Osipova won Outstanding Female Performance for her acclaimed performance in Giselle, as well as Best Female Dancer. The Royal Ballet's Francesca Hayward also won, collecting the Emerging Artist Award.

"This is a film we had to make, a very necessary film." This is what filmmaker Marilyn Solaya firmly said about 'Vestido de novia' ('Wedding Dress') in statements to the press during the 36th International Festival of New Latin American Film. Comments by the filmmaker and cast members."This is a film we had to make, a very necessary film." This is what filmmaker Marilyn Solaya firmly said about Vestido de novia in statements to the press during the 36th International Festival of New Latin American Film.

Conducta, Cuban film by Ernesto Daranas, won the 2014 Coral Prize for Best Fiction Feature this year at the 36th International Festival of New Latin American Film in Havana in December 2014. Conducta was one of the highly awarded films, receiving the Coral for Best Fiction Feature and Best Male Lead Actor for young Armando Valdez's character Chala, as well as the SIGNIS award, granted by a world Catholic association for communication. The festival recently ended in Havana's Charles Chaplin movie theater.

Cuban artists and writers hope that the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States will open new opportunities to expand the Island's cultural production without the restrictions derived from Washington's 52-year-old economic embargo.

Cuban writer, Eduardo Heras León, has been granted the 2015 National Literature Award by the Cuban Book Institute for his life's work.

We have 6 copies of the fantastic new CD: ‘Cha Cha Cha with Abelardo Barroso and his Orquesta Sensacion', courtesy of our friends at World Circuit.

This wonderful CD celebrates the talent of one of Cuba's greatest popular artists, the singer Abelardo Barroso. Brilliantly compiled and produced by Nick Gold and World Circuit, every aspect of this record is a model in how to bring the best of Cuba to a grateful audience. From its sumptuous packaging which consists of original 1950's artwork and fascinating and detailed sleeve notes as well as full song lyrics, from a rich and powerful re-mastered sound to the unstinting quality of the songs, every one of which packs the same punch as the super -talented Abelardo gave when he was a young prize fighter, ‘Cha Cha Cha' is a joy on every level.

The travelling exhibition 'United Buddy Bears' opened 17 January in Havana for Cubans and tourists, with life size bears in one of the oldest public spaces in the capital, the San Francisco de Asis Plaza, a place full of memories of cultural and historical events.

"My name is Lázaro Armando Saavedra González, but I could have been named any other way when I was born. My real name is Man, and I have become this man thanks to what other men have left behind. I learned this since I was a child from someone who introduced me to this difficult way of burning and enlightening my own way or other people´s way too. Through darkness and during several stages of my life, art was the luminous flame of a burning candle, a tool of thinking and for thinking, because when we enlighten our own way there is a chance to help enlighten other people´s ways too."

When President Obama announced plans recently to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, a bevy of U.S. industries – from automotive to tourism – seemed elated by the possibility of being able to operate in Cuba. The news was greeted with just as much enthusiasm from the culture industry: "Art Collectors Predict ‘Stampede' to Cuba," read one newspaper headline. Another trumpeted: "Renewed ties hit a high note for Cuban music lovers."

THE Cuban dance track of 2014 to get in the mood for celebrating…Cubanos siguen pa'lante!

A big loss to Cuban culture in 2014 was the death of Juan Formell, founder of supergroup Los Van Van, in May. Watch this lovely video for a taste of his magic "I'm not afraid of life"…

A very emotional rendition by the Cuban Five now all finally together back in Havana after the historic US-Cuba deal last week, of Silvio Rodriguez's anthem 'El Necio' ('the fool') together with Silvio himself.