Special to the Times-Free Press
The Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC) announces the launch of the Artistic Residency “Roots of the Colombian Caribbean: Rhythms and Traditions in Motion,” an immersive experience taking place from Monday, July 14 to Sunday, July 20 at its East Boston location. This program is supported in part by the City of Boston’s Office of Arts and Culture through the Neighborhood Activation Grant.
For one week, Barranquilla artists Elvira Bustamante and Moris Cañate will share their expertise in the traditional rhythms of the Colombian Caribbean: Mapalé, Bullerengue, Cumbia, and Chalupa. The residency is designed to foster playful, intergenerational learning, including games and children’s rounds that bring together children, youth, and adults through music, percussion, and dance. The focus is on strengthening cultural identity and intergenerational connection through Afro-Colombian and Caribbean traditions.
Activities from Monday to Friday are aimed at faculty members, VROCC students, and children and youth from the Ballet Folklórico Latinoamericano. On the weekend, the program opens to the entire community, inviting people of all ages to immerse themselves in the cultural richness of the Colombian Caribbean. The main goal of the residency is to form a dance and music group that will represent VROCC at the Viva Colombia Boston Festival on Saturday, August 9, from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at 102 Border St, East Boston.
Free Public Events:
• Fridays, July 18 & 25, 5:30 – 8:30 PM: “Let’s Paint a Mural,” 102 Border St.
• “Let’s Make Silletas/A Colombian Tradition,” VROCC Kitchen, 389 Maverick St.
Fundraising Events:
• Rumba Colombiana (Saturday, July 19, 21+): $25 per person.
Food sale and cash bar. Tickets: https://givebutter.com/RCVROCC2025
• Grand Community Class (Sunday, July 20): $5 (children 5-13) / $10 (ages 14+).
Tickets: https://givebutter.com/CCFVC2025
The Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC) brings you closer to your roots.