FIESTA! is a fabulous free day of performances, music and workshops celebrating all things Latin American. This year marks two-hundred years since many South American countries gained their independence and the British Library is marking the anniversary with a special exhibition and events programme under the title ¡Viva La Libertad!

We are also delighted to be presenting FIESTA! in association with Somers Town Festival, an event that brings our closest local community to vibrant life once a year. Please explore the performances, stalls and activities along Chalton Street, just a few steps away.

Read more…

There’s a revolution underway in South America, but the world doesn’t know it…

Oscar-winning director, Oliver Stone’s hotly-anticipated documentary, South of the Border, reaches cinemas on Friday 30 July.

 In preparation of its release, Dogwoof Distribution is running a competition for a chance to win tickets to the South of the Border UK premiere where Oliver Stone will be attending along with special guests.

The premiere takes place 19th July at the Curzon Mayfair and to enter, simply visit the website and sign up. It’s that easy!

Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail on Wednesday 14th July.     

And to join the South of the Border Facebook community, please follow this link – Dogwoof will be running further competitions here as well as conversation around the film’s issues and news.

Perhaps this is one of the things that keeps us going. The optimism, faith and hope, and the concrete evidence that we can change the course of history. – President Hugo Chavez

Celtas Cortos, Spanish most respected and beloved folk rock band will be playing Scala London as part of Rock Sin Subtítulo’s end of season club night.

Spanning 20 years of successful albums and number one classic hits, the eight piece band from Valladolid, Spain, will perform live at Scala in their first ever UK appearance with a “one night only” show in London.

After them, the busiest, coolest and most popular Spanish club night this side of river Thames, our Mega Spanish Mayhem Party will take over, continuing the fun till 6am in the morning, by bringing you the best in Spanish music and vibe. If you wanna rock, let’s rock on the Spanish way!

More info…

AFTER weeks of preparation, the big day finally arrived and students, friends and other guests descended on the Instituto Cervantes London for El Día del Español last Saturday, June 19. And what a party it turned out to be, as we enjoyed sensational sounds from Latin America, fantastic food from Ibérica restaurant and essential refreshments courtesy of Wines from Spain.

With the kind permission of Grosvenor Estate, we turned a section of the beautiful Eaton Square Gardens into the Plaza del Español, with a marquee hosting the music, food and wine, while the giant board was set out on the lawn for the final of the Juego del Español.

Thousands of people worldwide have been playing the online version of this word game, inspired by Scrabble and crosswords and developed by the Instituto Cervantes. Here in London, classmates Shamalee Vanderpoorten and Michael Cummins reached the final of the liga for Instituto Cervantes students.

(Read more… LondonSpanish)

ICLL Podcast series: New Episode (in English)

Book launch

London 1903, and Colombian José Altamirano has just arrived from a place he wishes to forget, shouldering a past he regrets and more guilt than anyone can carry.

He could have stopped the cession of the Panama territory, but chose not to. He then realises that Joseph Conrad is beginning to publish Nostromo, recounting a story he once related to him, and that he is being marginalised and virtually erased from that history.

Juan Gabriel Vázquez was born in bogotá in 1973 and now lives in Barcelona. His essays, reviews and reportages have appeared in various magazines and literary supplements. He was recently nominated as one of the «Bogota 39», South America’s most promising writers of the new generation.

http://londres.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha63189_22_1.htm

ICLL Podcast series: New Episode (in English)

A member of the «1914 Generation» with Ortega y Gasset, and with his book Vieja y Nueva Política as his main intellectual symbol, Marañón reaches liberalism through family and friends.

It is a time of regeneration and Marañón, as a doctor and scientist, comes to public life as the President of the Ateneo de Madrid and co-founder, toghether with ortega and Pérez de Ayala, of the Association for the Service of the Republic. (In English)

Tom Burns Marañón was the Spanish correspondent for important foreign media. He is the author of a trilogy on oral history of the Transition (Conversaciones sobre el rey, Conversaciones sobre el socialismo, Conversaciones sobre la derecha, Barcelona 1995-1997)

http://londres.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha63165_22_1.htm

ICLL Podcast series: New Episode (in Spanish)

Round Table discussion about the life and poetry of Miguel Hernández.

Participants: Rosa Navarrro, University of Barcelona & Alan Feinstein, writer & translator.
Miguel Hernández was born in Orihuela (Alicante) in 1910. His poetry is characterised by its strong lyricism, exemplified in both his first collection of poems, Perito en lunas (1933), and in his classical sonnets such as El rayo que no cesa.

His poems cover the themes of love, death, war and injustice, themes of which he had personal and intense experience. He fought with the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.

In prison he wrote Cancionero y romancero de ausencias (published in 1958), poems dedicated to his wife who lived in miserable conditions. He died in prison at the age of 31. (In Spanish)

http://londres.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha63188_22_2.htm

ICLL Podcast series: New Episode (in Spanish) Jaime Siles talks about his development as a poet since 1969, discussing and reading the most representative poems of different periods of his evolution.

Jaime Siles habla sobre su evolución poética desde 1969 hasta hoy, ilustrándola con la lectura y comentario de los poemas de diferentes épocas que considera más representativos.

Jaime Siles is an award-winning poet and critic. He is Professor of Classic Philology and has taught in various European universities. Currently, he teaches Classic Philology at the University of Valencia and is the President of the Spanish Society of Classical Studies. He also writes essays and literary criticism. Since 2005 he has written for the daily newspaper ABC. he is also a permanent member of the Royal Academy of Culture of Valencia.

The multicultural, cosmopolitan nature of London is one of the city’s greatest strengths, and it has to be said that Spanish speakers are better represented than most.

Sunday provided the perfect illustration as Spaniards took over Regent Street for the annual spectacular that is A Taste of Spain. 

And it was pleasing to see Spain celebrating its sporting success at the very same time as the brilliant Rafa Nadal was winning yet another French Open championship.

Read more… (LondonSpanish)

We have pleasure in inviting you to join us for the Exhibition Launch at the Music Library, Barbican Centre.
Wed. 23^rd of June, 6:30 p.m.
Download invitation

Eurotoolbox on the road:
a travelling exhibition of Children and Youth literature from Europe

• Five specially chosen collections for children and youth literature from Europe on display
• Panel talk with Axel Scheffler (illustrator, Germany), Paloma Bordons (writer and illustrator, Spain) and John Lake (librarian, Barbican Library)
• Refreshments and snacks will be served

Wed. 23^rd of June, 6:30 p.m. Music Library, Barbican Centre. Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS Barbican

Who’s it for?
Public librarians (incl. children’s librarians); school librarians; ‘special’ librarians; any librarian who wants to know more about meeting users’ needs for material in western European languages. The books could be displayed in staff areas or in public areas, as you wish.

What’s in it?
Five specially chosen collections of children’s and youth literature from Europe, in the original language (French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, between 12 and 15 books in each language). The authors and illustrators selected represent some of the very best in children’s book production in these languages.

How much does it cost?
The exhibition is free to borrow. You will need to organise transportation to the next borrower yourself. The exhibition is packed into 2 boxes, total weight about 30kg.

How can I borrow it?
You can borrow the exhibition for about 2 – 4 weeks at a time. To book a time slot, please contact David Carrión at the Instituto Cervantes from the 1st of June 2010.

For more details:

biblon(at)cervantes.es

Download the ppt presentation

Download full contents listing (PDF, 77 KB)

Download flyer (Doc, 32 KB)