• Submitted by: admin
• Arts and Culture
• 02 / 20 / 2007

By: Javier Duenas Oquendo

Faced with the loss of cultural identity caused by globalization, Cuba is intensifying the work of close to 10,000 humanities graduates who now make up the Jose Marti Art Instructors Brigade. Their task: to promote the esthetic, spiritual and cultural development of hundreds of thousands of children across the country.

These young students specialize in teaching music, dance, theater and art and to stimulating childrens abilities when creating and interpreting in the various art forms.

When the idea of creating schools for art instructors emerged in May, 2002, government officials envisioned the graduation of 3000 art instructors within ten years. However, by the end of 2006, the number of art instructors increased to 7,329 - with the first two classes having graduated.

According to data provided by Cuban Minister of Culture Abel Prieto, it was estimated that around 666, 000 students had been taught by the art instructors and around 225, 000 have been part of an amateur artists program called the "aficionados movement."

Source: Juventud Rebelde