Latinoamerican Music, Aesthetics and Politics in the Global Stage: The Case of 'el Sueño Existe' Festival in Wales

‘El Sueño Existe’ is a festival of Latin American music, politics and culture performed in Machynlleth, Wales, inspired by the life and music of Victor Jara (1932-1973), a Chilean artist and militant of the communist party, and one of the precursors of the movement Chilean New Song, who actively supported Salvador Allende’s and Popular Unity’s political project and was killed few days after the September 11, 1973 Chilean Military Coup. After his death, Victor Jara became a symbol of culture, human rights and political engagement around the world. In the context of commemorating the life of Victor, a group of people from Wales created an association that organise 'El Sueño Existe' (The dream lives on) festival since 2005 every two years. This festival includes the performance of Latin American music groups -most of them living in the UK-, workshops on Latin American music, talks about Latin American poetry, among other cultural activities; and there is a political section where representatives of social and political organization talk and discuss topics such as human rights; anti-mining and solidarity campaigns in Latin America, or Eco-socialism. This festival integrates music, art and politics in a global perspective, taking as main reference the aesthetics and politics of Latin American revolutionary music and art. Using the results from an ethnography of the last version of the festival (2015), interviews with organisers and performers who participated in the event and the use of secondary data, I will explain some effects of ‘El Sueño Existe Festival’ in the production of a sense of political belonging and aesthetic among Latin Americans diasporic community and also non-Latin people living in the UK.