Film, theater, dance, music, heritage, visual arts, and literature are part of the artistic and cultural offerings of Sedeculta’s Cultural Autumn, available starting October 24th.
The town of Xocén, in Valladolid, will host the launch of the 2025 Cultural Autumn Festival, organized by the Secretariat of Culture and the Arts (Sedeculta), with a free artistic offering that will run from October 24th through November in various municipalities in Yucatán.
The festival will open its first week with the presentation—on October 24th at 6:00 PM—of the play Juan Balam, staged by El Sótano Colectivo Escénico and the Laboratorio de Teatro Campesino e Indígena de X’ocen, in a natural setting in the community of the same name and featuring performances by more than 30 Mayan-speaking participants.
The following day, Saturday, October 25th, renowned director and playwright Mohamed El Khatib will arrive from France with the play Finir en Bauté (Dying in Beauty), which explores grief through personal memory. This work, in collaboration with Teatro Línea de Sombra and Transversales, International Gathering of Contemporary Scene, will feature two free performances at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM at the Armando Manzanero Theater.
The performance will be presented both at the Cineteca of the Armando Manzanero Theater and in the Mayamax Room of the Great Museum of the Mayan World, with free screenings.
Also of note is the presence of the Ritual Teatro de Inclusión Company, which promotes diversity and access to the arts and performing arts for people with disabilities. The company will present the play “My Kingdom Is Not of This World” on Saturday, October 25th, at 7:00 PM at the Daniel Ayala Pérez Theater.
The 2025 Cultural Autumn includes workshops on various topics ranging from reading promotion to the preservation of Yucatán’s knowledge, language, and traditions. These workshops include Gender-Based Embroidery, held in municipalities throughout the state’s interior. Other workshops will be included in Sunday activities for families and children at the Great Museum of the Mayan World.
Also, within the framework of the festival, the Sedeculta (Cultural Center) is organizing the discussion “U k’iinilo’ob pinaados: The Days of the Dead” on October 31st. This workshop will be complemented by the Janal Pixán Altar Exhibition on October 28th in Mérida’s Plaza Grande.
Among other events during the first week of the Cultural Autumn are the International Llanera Dance Festival at the Armando Manzanero Theater; the Day of the Dead Performing Arts Festival at the José María Iturralde Traconis Theater in Valladolid; The traveling exhibition U k’i’ixel kij, memories of the Mayan communities around henequen, in Izamal.
The Manuel Cepeda Pereza Central Library will host the discussion “Literary Lives” with Yucatecan writer Manuel Calero, as well as workshops for children and the entire family; while the State Music Band will be present in the Pasaje Picheta.
At the Palacio de la Música, there will be indie music with the Colombian duo Las Añez, trova with the Viernes de Trova (Fridays of Trova), and classical music with La OSY, offering free concerts.
The Cultural Autumn program includes workshops, discussions, storytelling, theater, film, dance, music, visual arts, and exhibitions featuring creators from Yucatán, the country, and internationally, promoting access to art in all its forms and providing a cultural offering with healthy entertainment alternatives for all Yucatecans.
With the 2025 Cultural Autumn, the Mayan Renaissance Government reaffirms its commitment to creating more spaces and opportunities for local artists to showcase their talents, while encouraging community participation in artistic activities that strengthen the culture and traditions of Yucatán.
Source: progresohoy
