News Summary
The Unimos Festival at Stageworks Theatre in Tampa honors Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. Every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the festival showcases the artistic talents of the Latinx community through dance, music, and theater. Highlighting diversity and representation, the event features local performers and a vibrant vendors market, promoting cultural exchange and inclusivity. Organizers aim to create a space where the arts can thrive, reflecting the unique narratives of Hispanic and Latin American cultures.
Tampa is set to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with the Unimos Festival, taking place at Stageworks Theatre from September 15 to October 15. This vibrant festival is scheduled for Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and aims to highlight the artistic talents of Tampa’s Latinx community through an immersive experience that showcases storytelling, rhythm, and cultural pride.
The name “Unimos,” which translates to “to bring together” in Spanish, embodies the festival’s theme of unity in celebrating Hispanic and Latin American contributions to the arts. Organizers Cecilia Claudio-Torres and Alejandro Paz have curated the event to be a platform for creativity and cultural expression.
Attendees can expect an eclectic array of artistic forms, including dance, music, theater, and spoken word, alongside a vendors market inspired by traditional Hispanic vendor markets. This market will offer a taste of culture, featuring food, spices, coffee, jewelry, and clothing, providing a rich sensory experience that reflects the vibrancy of Hispanic cultures, as emphasized by Claudio-Torres.
The festival continues to promote representation and diversity within the arts. Director JL Rey is slated to perform a scene from a new work by a Puerto Rican playwright based in Tampa. This initiative highlights the pressing need for stories from people of color and diverse backgrounds to be portrayed in American art, addressing the historical underrepresentation of such narratives.
As part of Stageworks’ Hispanic Initiative, the theatre will include at least one production each season that focuses on Latin themes, with performances available in both English and Spanish. Rey has previously directed several works that explore Hispanic themes, such as “In the Time of the Butterflies” and “Anna in the Tropics.” He is also set to direct a one-man comedy, “Latin History for Morons,” in December.
The performance lineup for the Unimos Festival features prominent groups such as Tampa City Ballet, Las Mariposas, Paula Sofia, Jessy Leros, Opera Tampa, The Musicologist, and the Pride of Puerto Rico, among others. Co-producers Cornelio Aguilar and Nestor Menendez played significant roles in assembling this diverse group of talented performers.
The Unimos Festival is designed not only as a celebration of art but also as an opportunity for community engagement. By inviting attendees from all backgrounds, the event emphasizes that “the arts are borderless” and encourages inclusivity and learning among participants. The festival aims to foster a sense of belonging and cultural exchange, making it a key highlight of the local Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.
For those interested in attending, tickets and additional information about the Unimos Festival can be found on the Stageworks Theatre website.
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Additional Resources
- St. Pete Catalyst: Unimos Festival Spotlights Latinx Culture
- Wikipedia: Hispanic Heritage Month
- Stageworks Theatre Official Website
- Google Search: Latinx Culture
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Latin American Literature
- Ticketmaster: Stageworks Theatre
Author: STAFF HERE TAMPA WRITER
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