Urban arts festival brings Maya and Spanish rap music to Yucatán youth
An urban art festival featuring Maya and Spanish rap music was announced by Yucatán’s State Center for Crime Prevention and Citizen Participation (Cepredey) and Sedeculta, the state’s cultural agency. The initiative is part of the United for Life government strategy.
The festival will span 10 yet-unnamed communities.
The Crea initiative, announced at the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, aims to bring arts and culture to all 106 municipalities in Yucatán. Sedeculta director Patricia Martín Briceño emphasized that cultural programs will reach communities regardless of whether they have dedicated cultural centers.
“We seek to strengthen the cultural offering in each municipality and promote artistic expression in spaces that are free for everyone, regardless of their context or location,” she said.
The upcoming rap festival includes workshops in graffiti, contemporary storytelling, and dance, emphasizing Mayan cultural identity. This aligns with the state’s broader mission to promote Mayan language education in schools and cultural centers, as highlighted by the General Directorate of Museums and Heritage.
Beyond the festival, Yucatán offers several funding opportunities for cultural initiatives, including the Program to Stimulate Artistic Creation and Development (Pecda), the Program to Support Municipal and Community Cultures (Pacmyc), and the Program to Support Cultural Infrastructure (Paice) for community museums.
“These workshops give young people a creative platform to discuss their challenges, frustrations, and aspirations,” Martín Briceño noted. Through the Crea platform, organizers hope to facilitate discussions about self-esteem and address psychological and socioeconomic challenges affecting community bonds throughout the state. Cepredey will select the participating communities.
The initiative represents a collaborative effort between municipal presidents and Sedeculta to bring film, theater, music, and literature projects to communities across Yucatán, with activities taking place in both traditional venues and community-managed spaces.
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