The President of Latino Art Beat, Don Rossi Nuccio has traveled to Cuba many times over the years, but in 2016 when he was part of the Obama White House Delegation to Cuba during former President Barack Obama’s historic trip to Cuba, his involvement with Cuba has become a formal humanitarian outreach for youth in the arts. Rossi-Nuccio started the ‘Cuba Latino Art Beat’ initiative in collaboration with the Cuban Ministry of Culture and their community arm, the Consejo Nacional de Casas de Cultura (“Casas de cultura”) encouraging young Cuban artists to create drawings and paintings reflecting the competition theme “Friendship Between the Youth of the United States and Cuba!” On the United States side, Rossi-Nuccio invited his program in Washington, D.C. to also participate in this new competition theme. Eventually, its planned to send U.S. student winners to study summer art courses in Cuba. 

The Cuban student winners were awarded a scholarship to study advanced summer courses in art at The Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD (“MICA”) and the U.S. student competition winners were awarded scholarships to attend their college or university of choice. Two young Cuban student artist winners, Favio Felipe Gonzales and Luis Felipe Betancourt successfully completed their summer courses at MICA and returned to Cuba armed with not only a diploma but new advanced art techniques and a better understanding of friendship between the youth of both sovereign nations. A win-win for all participants. Nuccio believes that such exchanges are extremely important, especially on a non-political basis, which help create a passageway to improved relations between the peoples of Cuba and the United States.

Due to the Covid pandemic Latino Art Beat had to take a recess from its Cuba youth in the arts outreach but now has returned back to Cuba in full force with its 2024 initiative. On Nuccio’s recent trip to Cuba he honored and recognized in person its last competition winners, which he was unable to do until the pandemic end made travel possible once again. Latino Art Beat with the great support of the Embassy of Cuba in Washington, D.C. and its coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX). Ministry of Culture and Casas de Cultura made Don’s trip to Cuba a true success, which included high level meetings, visits to the top art schools, participation with various student activities and of course the 2023 Cuba Latino Art Beat awards ceremony! Nuccio was received and greeted as a roving diplomat encouraging the recognition and celebration of youth in the arts. While in Havana, Nuccio visited officials from the U.S. Embassy, whose support is vital to the success of this student exchange initiative and the Apostolic Nunciature to Cuba (the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Cuba) and various Cuban ministries.

Part of the focus of the trip was to recognize the Cuban student winners of the latest Cuba Latino Art Beat competition and to grow the outreach. This year’s 2023 1st Place winner, Hermaiony de la Caridad Villa Machado, was awarded for her win in the 2021 competition. Hermaiony and the other student artists were honored at a public event hosted by the Casas de cultura in Havana. Accordingly, Don presented awards certificates, medallions and gift bags comprising much needed art supplies to all the most recent Cuba Latino Art Beat competition winners and honorable mentions. Latino Art Beat also initiated a “Youth Ambassadorship” program for past and present 1st Place winners of its local competition. To date it now has four very talented, young Cuban artists in this program who represent the objective of encouraging and honoring young Cuban student artists to participate in this now annual high-profile outreach. Hermaiony along with Stephanie Rivero were presented with Ambassadors medals assisted by former 1st Place winner and Youth Ambassador Favio Gonzalez. For information on Latino Art Beats Cuba initiative, its stateside initiatives and competitions please contact: latinoartbeat@hotmail.com