ARC Brings Together 30 Cuban Artists in Exile for Raíces en tránsito: 30 artistas de la diáspora cubana
Spain
The Landmark Exhibition Uniting Past Participants of ARC’s Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship Opens September 10 in Madrid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 September 2026
(New York | Paris | Madrid) — ARC – Artists at Risk Connection and Diario de Cuba (DDC) present Raíces en tránsito: 30 artistas de la diáspora cubana, a landmark multidisciplinary exhibition bringing together, for the first time, all thirty artists who have participated in ARC’s Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship during its first three years. Curated by Mari Claudia García, with Solveig Font as Assistant Curator, the exhibition will be presented at Galería Nueva Carabanchel in Madrid from September 10–26, 2026.
Bringing together artists now living across Europe, North America, and Latin America, Raíces en tránsito explores how Cuban artists living in exile and across the diaspora transform experiences of displacement, political censorship, and restrictions on artistic freedom into artistic creation, collective memory, and new forms of community. Spanning visual art, film, literature, music, socially engaged practices, and digital media, the exhibition reflects the diversity of artistic practices that continue to flourish beyond Cuba’s borders while remaining deeply connected to the island’s cultural life.
Rather than presenting exile solely as loss, Raíces en tránsito examines how migration reshapes artistic practice, generating new forms of cultural exchange, solidarity, and collective imagination. Of course, not all Cuban artists have had the opportunity to continue their creative practice. In solemn recognition, the exhibition is also dedicated to all those who remain unjustly imprisoned on the island. Their continued detention is a stark reminder of the urgent realities that have driven many artists to seek refuge abroad.
Presented in Madrid—one of the principal destinations for the Cuban diaspora—the exhibition also marks an important milestone for ARC’s Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship. Over its first three years, the fellowship has supported thirty Cuban artists in rebuilding their creative practices after displacement through resilience grants, professional development, mentorship, international networks, and exhibition opportunities. Raíces en tránsito is the first occasion on which the entire fellowship cohort has come together in a single exhibition, highlighting both individual artistic trajectories and the collective impact of sustained investment in artists affected by restrictions on artistic freedom.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive public program featuring performances, exhibition tours, film screenings, and conversations with artists, curators, scholars, and human rights advocates. Together, these events will explore artistic freedom, migration, democracy, collective memory, and the role of culture in sustaining civic life across borders.
“Surviving as an emigrant anywhere in the world imposes living circumstances in which your priorities change completely; and in this case, art takes a back seat,” said Camila Lobón, a Cuban visual artist and participant in the exhibition. “On a practical level, it is a real challenge to manage both things: the survival involved in being completely alone and without support, without a family support network, especially in economic and practical terms. It is a challenge to manage that and continue making art. I think it has brought me a great deal of pain, but also a great deal of maturity when it comes to understanding myself and the Cuban context.”
“The exhibition presents the contemporary Cuban diaspora as a complex phenomenon, shaped by multiple experiences: migration, forced displacement, political exile, and transnational mobility,” said Mari Claudia García, curator of the exhibition. “Rather than constructing a single narrative around uprooting and resilience, it offers a plural perspective that also allows us to broaden our view toward other contemporary realities of migration, displacement, and diasporas on a global scale.”
“At a time when Cuban artists continue to face censorship, persecution, and displacement, Raíces en tránsito demonstrates not only the extraordinary resilience of Cuban artists but also the essential role that artistic freedom plays in preserving culture, memory, and democratic life,” said Julie Trébault, Executive Director of ARC. “This exhibition celebrates artists who have rebuilt their creative practices in exile while honoring those who are unable to create freely on the island, many of whom remain unjustly detained.”
Raíces en tránsito is organized by ARC – Artists at Risk Connection and curated by Mari Claudia García, with Solveig Font serving as Assistant Curator.
Public Programs
10 September 2026
- Opening Reception | 7:00–10:00 PM
Public opening with welcoming remarks from the curator, project collaborators, and participating artists.
11 September 2026
- Live Performances | 7:00–8:00 PM
An evening of live performances by Sandra Ceballos Obayá and Luzbely Escobar Pérez.
12 September 2026
- Curatorial Tour | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
Guided tour of the exhibition led by curator Mari Claudia García, together with selected participating artists.
16 September 2026
- Art & Democracy: Creativity, Memory, and Civic Space | 7:30–9:00 PM
Conversation about creativity, memory and civic space with the artist Julio Llopiz-Casal (Diario de Cuba), art historian Yanelys Núñez, and the writer and president of PEN España Enrique Yeves, moderated by Julie Trébault (ARC), followed by a reception.
19 September 2026
- Exhibition Tour | 12:00 PM–12:00 PM
Guided tour led by assistant curator Solveig Font, focusing on the exhibition’s themes, artistic practices, and the stories behind the works.
25 September 2026
- Cuban Film Night | 7:00–10:00 PM
Screening of films by filmmakers Luis Alejandro Yero Monteagudo, Llamadas desde Moscú (2023, 65 min) and Ricardo Figueredo Oliva, La teoría cubana de la sociedad perfecta (2019, 61 min 14 s), with an introduction from art critic Edgar Ariel (Diario de Cuba).
The public program may be subject to change. Stay updated with the full public program here.
About the Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship
The Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship is an initiative of ARC – Artists at Risk Connection supporting Cuban artists living in exile whose creative practices have been affected by restrictions on artistic freedom. Through resilience grants, mentorship, professional development, international networks, and exhibition opportunities, the fellowship enables artists to continue their work, adapt to new cultural environments, and build sustainable creative careers beyond Cuba.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Elias Ephron
Editorial Communications Officer
ARC – Artists at Risk Connection
+1 323.540.9386