La Casona del Patio hosted the official presentation of the second edition of Santiago de Letras, scheduled for October 3rd and 4th in the Plaza de Santiago del Teide with the theme «Letras al cielo». The press conference featured the mayor of Santiago del Teide, Emilio Navarro, the Councilor for Culture, David Quintero, and Emilia Vié, the festival's director.
Mayor Emilio Navarro highlighted the council's commitment to culture as a "tool for meeting, participation, and enrichment of our society." He emphasized that consolidating this initiative aims to bring literature and dialogue with authors and creators closer to residents, creating cultural opportunities within the municipality.
The Councilor for Culture, David Quintero, reviewed the most significant events of this edition, which combines literature, dissemination, territory, conversation, childhood, poetry, music, workshops, and citizen participation. The festival aims to take books out of their usual spaces and bring them to the public square, educational centers, and daily life.
Organized by the Ayuntamiento de Santiago del Teide, the Asociación Cultural Islotes, and Atlántida Cultural, the festival benefits from the cultural design, direction, and production of Islotes, which connects authors, activities, and the community.
“"Santiago de Letras was born with the idea that culture does not always have to happen in the same places. We want Santiago del Teide to be a place to come to meet books, but above all, people."
The program will feature national guests such as Alfredo Relaño, May R. Ayamonte, and Pedro Martí, alongside a broad representation of Canarian authors and creators, including Ceci Wallace, Diego G. Reinfeld, Marcos Dosantos, Antonio Martín Piñero, Sophia Hidalgo, Ana Nayra Gorrín, Jesús Barranco, Iván Cabrera Cartaya, and Montse Díaz. The panel «Writing from the periphery» will address the experience of creating culture from Canarias.
The festival will offer various activities such as the Literary Breakfast, the haiku workshop «The landscape in 3 verses» with Iago Fandiño, «Poetry for all sizes», the comic character creation workshop with Fran Rodríguez Vié, the literary recital by the Children's Reading Workshop of Ana Guacimara, Intercultural Living Library, proposals for children and families, author meetings and signings, a Book Fair, and a musical closing by Sandra Santana.
The involvement of educational centers is fundamental. The «Telling Our Story» project will allow 4th-grade primary students to share stories they wrote and their experience of taking those stories to Miño, Galicia, turning them into creators and narrators.
The relationship with Miño and Galicia is part of a line of territorial exchange and relationship building. The «Telling Our Story» experience demonstrates how these bridges translate into concrete projects that transcend the festival days.
“"For me, a festival makes sense when what happens in it continues to live after we take down the tents. If someone takes a book, discovers an author, starts writing, meets someone with the same interests, or simply feels that important cultural things happen here too, Santiago de Letras will have fulfilled its function."
The Book Fair will be open on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Admission is free, although some activities require prior registration due to limited capacity.
The festival is organized by the Ayuntamiento de Santiago del Teide, the Asociación Cultural Islotes, and Atlántida Cultural, with the support of the Instituto Canario de Desarrollo Cultural (ICDC) and the Government of Canarias.
