XI Paiz International Festival to start in February
For the Love of Art & Education
2011 may turn out to be the year for culture in Guatemala. The 11th biennial Paiz International Festival includes an unprecedented inaugural concert with Central American superstars, Grammy nominees performing with a beloved student orchestra, a major retrospective of an artistic giant and a fun, popular dance in La Antigua’s own Parque Central.
The 2011 festival promises not only an exciting lineup of Guatemalan and international artists, but also a dramatic expansion of the festival itself. Antiguenos and tourists will enjoy an amazing season of events beginning in February and continuing through December.
The festival opens Feb. 11 with impressive concerts. Reuniting after a 10-year absence, the legendary Central American groups Alux Nahual and Éditus will kick off a colorful season filled with art, music and dance.
The next day brings the opening of a retrospective of artist Carlos Mérida at Casa Santo Domingo in the Galería Carlos Mérida. Saturday evening, Ermita de Santa Cruz will be rocked by power pianist Jorge Gomez and his Grammy-nominated Cuban timba group, Tiempo Libre, accompanied by La Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil.
The artists not only perform but will also lead workshops, discussions and classes for Guatemalan students and artists. The Fundación Paiz has focused this festival on its essential objective: to harness the transformative power of art and culture for a better Guatemala.