The Arts Transform, a festival that celebrates the dialogue between creation and community life

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 18, 2025, p. 5

From May 19 to 25, the municipality of General Escobedo, Nuevo León, will showcase poetry, music, storytelling, and images in its streets, plazas, and theaters during the first edition of the Las Artes Transforman festival, an event celebrating imagination, collective memory, and art as a unifying fabric.

The town, named after a hero and distinguished by its community vitality, will host more than 320 artists and writers from Mexico and abroad, who will share more than 100 hours of cultural experiences.

With Mexico City as the guest of honor, fifty artists will take part in the event, from muralists who will be working on public spaces in the Monterrey municipality to the traditional Tianguis del Chopo fair, which will be held in the Plaza Principal.

The program also includes music from groups such as Sirenas del Bosque and Dos Siglos, as well as a photography exhibition portraying daily life in the nation's capital. Among the most anticipated activities is a lecture by journalist Ángeles González Gamio, who will reveal secrets and interesting facts about this metropolis.

Regina Orozco, accompanied by a mariachi band, and Monterrey-born soprano Yvonne Garza will participate in the opening ceremony. The closing ceremony will be led by the Super Symphony Orchestra of the Monterrey School of Music and Dance, which will perform classical pieces.

The musical program also includes the contagious energy of Sonora Dinamita, the accordion sounds of Jhoniván Sáenz, and the rock of Cabrito Vudú, reflecting the festival's diverse sound. Dance will feature a space with folklore companies from the municipality and the Danza Capital show from Mexico City.

Literature will have a prominent place at Las Letras Transforman, a book fair that brings together institutional and independent publishers from across the country.

During the event, attendees will be able to attend presentations and workshops led remotely by renowned writers such as Sabina Berman, Eduardo Antonio Parra, Jon Lee Anderson, Ángeles González Gamio, Sara Poot Herrera, and Elena Poniatowska.

Nuevo León will provide the voices of poet Miguel Covarrubias, playwright Luis Martín, writers Gabriela Riveros and Gabriela Cantú, and actress Paty Quiroga. In plazas and cultural venues, the Tejedoras de Imágenes (Weavers of Images), Los Copleros (The Copleros), La Percha Teatro, and Sandunga (The Sandunga) companies will offer a variety of performances.

The festival revives local memory with tributes to General Mariano Escobedo in roundtable discussions between chroniclers and historians, in addition to the launch of the National Historical Essay Award bearing his name.

Likewise, tribute will be paid to the legacy of artists such as Saskia Juárez, Arnaldo Coen, Rosario Castellanos, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Emilio Carballido with exhibitions and theatrical productions.

The program includes proposals aimed at children, with works designed for the youngest members of the family, which reaffirm the fundamental role of art in social cohesion and the enrichment of everyday life.

Organized by the municipality of General Escobedo, in collaboration with the State Institute of Culture of Nuevo León and the federal Ministry of Culture, Las Artes Transforman is supported by institutions committed to fostering a dialogue between artistic practices and community life.

The schedule and detailed information can be found on the municipality's official website and on its social media channels.

▲ Images circulating on social media show drones forming the sports brand's logo and a tennis shoe, with the Acropolis as a backdrop.

The Independent

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 18, 2025, p. 5

Athens has taken legal action against Adidas over what appears to be a drone display promoting the sports brand near the Acropolis.

The Greek culture minister said the announcement could constitute a violation of antiquities law.

Images circulating on social media show illuminated drones forming the Adidas logo and a tennis shoe, with the Acropolis, a World Heritage Site declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in the background.

The ancient citadel, home to the Parthenon Temple, a symbol of Athens' Golden Age, is one of the most visited sites in the world.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the show exploited the Acropolis for commercial gain, violating national law and circumventing mandatory approval from the Ministry of Culture.

"It's as if the Adidas shoe had kicked the Acropolis ," Mendoni told local radio station Skai. "A lawsuit has already been filed against whoever is found responsible ," he added.

Adidas was contacted but declined to comment on the matter.

The Ministry of Culture noted that it is also investigating whether the licensing procedure for the drone flight was followed.

The move comes weeks after Greece rejected a request by director Yorgos Lathimos, known for the films The Favourite, Poor Things and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, to film scenes for his upcoming film, Bugonia, on the Acropolis hill.

The sci-fi comedy is about two conspirators who kidnap a CEO (Emma Stone) because they are convinced she is an alien.

Greece rejected the filmmaker's request, claiming that the film was incompatible with the symbolism of the Acropolis.

Possible damage to the ancient Greek monument has long been a concern for authorities.

In 2023, the country imposed a tourism cap, limiting the number of visitors to the Acropolis to 20,000 per day. Previously, it received around 23,000 visitors per day during peak hours. "It's a huge number ," Mendoni said at the time.

Obviously, tourism is desirable for the country, but we must find a way to ensure that excessive tourism does not harm the monument.

Restrictions also vary depending on the season, and tourists must reserve a specific time slot in advance.