The International Festival of the Arts (known as FIA by its Spanish acronym) is now just four days away from its 2012 opening. Once the FIA starts in earnest, residents of Costa Rica can look forward to ten days of arts and culture on the streets, in our theaters, and in open performance spaces around our capital city of San Jose.  This year marks the 20th anniversary of the FIA, an event organized by the National Theater and the Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, and it promises to be the best to date.

The FIA is a major event that runs counterpart to the National Festival of the Arts (FNA). The FNA has been traveling around our provinces since 1995, while the FIA has been concentrating on showcasing the performing arts around San Jose since 1989. Both festivals enjoy the full support of government and private institutions dedicated to the advancement of the fine arts. Since the FIA began as a theater festival there is a strong focus on plays, although among the many international performing guests arriving in our country in the next few days there are dance troupes, musical acts and visual artists.

The FIA in General Terms

Most of the performers and artists invited to the FIA will carry on a cultural exchange program representing their respective countries. All expenses incurred by the performances of these guests are fully provided by our government for the enjoyment of all Ticos and visitors. Some high-profile acts, such as Puerto Rican alterna-pop sensations Calle 13, are invited for the purpose of infusing a pop sensibility to the FIA. The base program consists of theater, dance and music in open spaces, although some performances will take place at designated indoor venues.

There are three vital educational projects that make up the FIA. Students from several schools around the country will get to interact with the international guests, there will be numerous workshops for students and professionals, and the Boulevard of the Arts is a major open initiative that seeks to highlight the artistic sensibilities of the public.

The Circuit of Museums and Galleries    

For the 2012 FIA, a number of museums and galleries around the capital will be showcasing special exhibitions (PDF) that explore the theme of social identity through different periods. From March 1st to the 25th, San Jose will become an exhibition space split amongst three different sectors spread from Barrio Los Yoses in the east to La Sabana to the west, including one exhibition in Alajuela.  Entrance to most of these venues will be free for the length of the FIA. Some of the highlights include: Artifacts and Instruments of the World at La Antigua Aduana, Korean Art at the National Museum, Andy Warhol and Huan Yang at Casa Amarilla, Picasso and Basquiat at the National Theater, Faces of Latin America at the National Gallery, political cartoons at the Juan Santamaria Museum in Alajuela, and a lot more.

Performances at La Sabana

La Sabana Metropolitan Park will be the heart of the FIA. Two stages have been set up for folk and pop music performances:  Tarima Fidel Gamboa by the lake (in memory of the former musician who lead Malpais, the most iconic Tico rock band in history), and Tarima Kolbi closer to the National Stadium. Calle 13 will open up the Central American Music Marketplace (PDF) on Friday, March 16th; while the Alan Parsons Live Project will play on Sunday, March 25th. Both Calle 13 and Alan Parsons will play on Tarima Kolbi. From March 16th to the 25th a number of musical acts will be playing daily for the Music Marketplace starting around sunset. Bands from Panama, the Netherlands, Belize, and Germany will be sharing the stages.

Besides the Central American Music Marketplace, La Sabana will offer a number of other musical and performing acts. On a stage sponsored by Banco Nacional, different types of music from lullabies to folk and from jazz to flamenco will play on a daily basis. Other stages at La Sabana will feature theaters, puppet shows, clown acts, storytelling, poetry slams, and more.

Theater Plays and Dance Performances

Theater groups and dance companies from France, Dominican Republic, Peru, Spain, Germany, Korea, Uruguay and other nations will perform at theaters, amphitheaters, art galleries, museums, and even on the streets. The most acclaimed performances and a number of classical music concerts will take place at the National and Melico Salazar Theatre.

Parque La Libertad

Beginning on March 16th, the La Libertad Metropolitan Park in the Desamparados southern suburbs will be transformed into an urban festival and satellite venue for the FIA. Starting at 9:00 each day, visitors will be treated to gastronomical festivals, parkour exhibitions, mimes, hand crafts, Tico-made films, clown parades, classical music, theater plays, breakdancing, and more.

Cinescopia

An open-air movie theater in La Sabana will begin activities each day at 11:00 with films for children.  Interactive exhibitions will inform the public about the magic and secrets of modern filmmaking, and every evening at 7:00pm a special movie screening will take place. On March 17th, 18th and the 24th Cinescopia will hold workshops and symposiums with Tico filmmakers who will be discussing the current status and the future of Costa Rica as a major filming location. These workshops will be very timely, given the attention that the shooting of scenes for the upcoming Will Smith sci-fi blockbuster After Earth around the Arenal Volcano stirred up among the local film industry. As of today, the lineup of movie screenings has not been revealed by Cinescopia.

Guest of Honor: The Republic of Korea

The South Korean embassy has extended that nation’s gratitude to our Minister of Culture for the kind invitation extended to headline the FIA. Classical conductor Maestro Nan-se Gum is one of the major highlights of the FIA, as well as numerous dance troupes, visual artists, folklorists, artisans, and other cultural representatives of the tiny yet influential Asian nation.

A special cultural pavilion will be erected at La Sabana to give visitors a glimpse at the rich ancient culture of Korea.  Gastronomy and painting workshops will be held every day at the pavilion, and the Cine Variedades in San Jose will play a Korean Film Festival from Saturday, March 17th to Sunday 25th every evening at 5:00 pm.

Social Media and the FIA

As expected, Facebook is the online social network of choice for the FIA, followed by SoundCloud –to get people warmed up with some of the sounds they can expect to enjoy at the festival. Twitter comes in at a distant third with the hashtag #FIA2012, and the official account. The press office of the Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs has also been sending out relevant Twitter communications regarding the FIA.

An event of this scope and magnitude is bound to undergo revisions and adjustments, and to this extent the FIA Facebook page has proven very useful; particularly in our country where Facebook is the undisputed king of social media. In terms of social media coverage, the FIA has missed the mark by not establishing a strong presence in deviantART, the premier social media outlet for artists.  With so many simultaneous events spread out across San Jose and Alajuela, the social media channels are bound to be abuzz with updates and comments from users attending the different performances and exhibitions. Within a social network like deviantART, the social media conversations can be more meaningful and continue long after the FIA has wrapped up.

For the most up-to-date FIA program (PDF), click here.