The Southern Cultural Industries Market (Micsur) brought together more than 350 representatives of the creative ecosystem of Latin America and the Caribbean. The event had about 90 activities open to the public.
There were four days in which Chile hosted the Mercado de Industrias Culturales del Sur (Micsur). From April 17 to 20, the Palacio de Bellas Artes de Chile hosted this cultural event that established a collaborative agenda for the development of creative ecosystems in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
"MICSUR has been an exceptional moment to showcase all our creative and innovative potential in various fields. It has been a convincing demonstration of our ability to stand out on the international stage and leave a lasting mark on the cultural and creative industry," said the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Carolina Arredondo.
The Secretary of State added that it is a comprehensive vision whose approach recognizes culture "as a public good, not only for the growth and sustainable development of our nation, but also as an essential dimension for the reconstruction of our social ties, community fabric and social cohesion."
More than 90 activities
The meeting began with an inauguration in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Santiago (MAC), and its programming was completely oriented to the commercial integration of the creative industries of South American countries. It included 1,900 business roundtables, 90 open activities, such as master classes, workshops, exhibition spaces, showcases and fashion shows, among others, which was classified as a success by the Minister of Culture.
He also highlighted that in the panel "Culture for Sustainable Development: Perspectives and Experiences in Ibero-America", the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) to strengthen the area of cultural education was announced.
Among the most important activities were the "Living Micsur", spaces for conversation where renowned national and international artists addressed issues about their work and creative processes. Participants included Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio, director of "A Fantastic Woman," an Oscar-winning film; Leila Guerriero, Argentinian writer, journalist and editor; Benjamín Labatut, national writer and author of "Un verdor terrible"; Argentinian film director and screenwriter Lucrecia Martel; the Spaniard Javier Gómez Santander, who is the producer and screenwriter of the series "Money Heist", as well as the musicians Kevin Johansen and Francisca Valenzuela.
The meeting ended with a massive day that brought together more than 5,000 people in the Plaza de la Constitución, with performances by the Argentine singer Kevin Johansen, the national artists Gepe and Javiera Mena, and an overture by the Andean Orchestra.
The first edition of Micsur was held in 2014 in Argentina, followed by Colombia (2016) and Brazil (2018). As a result of the pandemic, the next edition was postponed to 2024 in Chile, where the ten years of the event were celebrated.