XXVII Parrandas 2025 Poster Contest Announced

In statements offered by Erick González Bello, director of the Museum of Parrandas, the official opening of the call for entries to the XXVII Parrandas Poster Contest 2025 was announced. This longstanding competition, which has accompanied the visual identity and promotion of these celebrations since the 1980s, highlights a tradition declared National Cultural Heritage.

The announcement comes in a special year for both the Octava Villa and the institution itself. On April 1, the Museum of Parrandas marked its 45th anniversary, firmly established as a guardian of the memory of these festivities. In December, the Parrandas of Remedios will celebrate 205 uninterrupted years—one of Cuba’s oldest, most authentic, and colorful traditions.

“The contest represents a space for creativity and participation that, beyond artistic competition, reinforces the cultural identity of our people and fosters dialogue between tradition and new generations of creators,” stated González Bello.

Rules and Requirements

The contest is open to all Cuban citizens, whether living in Cuba or abroad, with no distinction between professionals and amateurs. Each participant may submit more than one work, provided they meet the following technical requirements:

• Format: 55 x 35 cm, vertical orientation, with a 1 cm margin.

• Technique suitable for screen printing with flat colors (maximum of four, no gradients).

• Precision in lines and clarity in forms.

• Mandatory inclusion of the text: “Parrandas Remedianas 2025”, with no additional text.

• The content must reflect the richness of Remedios’ cultural heritage and the historic, fraternal rivalry between the neighborhoods of San Salvador and El Carmen, the central protagonists of the festivities.

Entries may be submitted physically at the Museum headquarters (Alejandro del Río Street 74, between Enrique Malaret and Máximo Gómez, Remedios, Villa Clara) or digitally (JPG or PDF at 300 dpi) via email to museodelasparrandas@gmail.com. Works must be identified with a pseudonym or motto. A separate envelope—or the body of the email—must include the author’s personal details (full name, ID number, address, phone number, and email).

The submission period runs from September 15 to December 3, 2025.

Awards and Recognition

The contest will grant a Single Prize of 10,000 CUP, along with artworks or handicrafts, and a Special Mention if deemed appropriate by the jury. In addition, various institutions may award collateral prizes in recognition of talent and originality.

All participants, explained the director of Cuba’s first folk art museum, will receive a certificate of participation, available at the institution the day after the awards ceremony. The ceremony will take place on December 15, 2025, at the Museum of Parrandas. That day will also see the opening of a “projected exhibition” featuring all submitted works, serving as a prelude to the much-anticipated night of December 24, when the city lights up with music, fireworks, and color in the traditional rivalry between neighborhoods.

The winning poster will serve as the official image of the Parrandas Remedianas 2025, granting the artist public recognition and the opportunity for their work to become part of the cultural imagination of the town.

Heritage Value

An essential aspect of the contest is that all submitted works will become part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Parrandas, with the names of their creators recorded in the institutional catalog—alongside dozens of artists who, over more than four decades, have enriched the visual heritage of these celebrations.

“The contest is an opportunity for every creator to leave their mark on the history of the Parrandas. It is not only about competition, but about contributing to a living tradition that belongs to the people of Remedios and has become a symbol of Cuban culture,” emphasized González Bello.

With this call, the city officially opens the lead-up to its celebrations, which in December will once again transform the Octava Villa into the stage of the legendary rivalry between San Salvador and El Carmen—an expression of culture that has transcended generations and borders.