Cuban Actress and Storyteller Coralia Rodríguez to Receive "Cultural Values 2026" Award in Spain

Cuban actress and oral storyteller Coralia Rodríguez is set to be honored with the "Cultural Values 2026" award in Albacete, Spain. The announcement came from the local cultural organization, Asociación Cultural Amigos de Cuba.

The award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at 8:30 PM in the Plaza of the Imaginalia Shopping Center in Albacete. This event is part of the central activities of the XVIII Edition of the Cuban Culture Day, which runs from October 16 to 20, 2026. This year's celebration pays tribute to the singer Pablo Milanés and the city of Baracoa.

Recognizing Artistic Dedication to Cuban Culture

The organizers describe the award as a tribute to those with artistic careers committed to promoting, preserving, and enhancing Cuban culture globally.

Born in Santiago de Cuba in 1959, Coralia Rodríguez Montoya boasts over four decades of artistic experience. Her educational journey began at the Félix Varela National School in Havana, where she trained as a theater instructor. She further honed her oral storytelling skills at workshops held at the Gran Teatro de La Habana, under the guidance of Francisco Garzón, a key figure in Cuban theatrical storytelling.

Global Influence with Afro-Cuban Roots

Rodríguez has significantly impacted the cultural scene in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was involved with the cultural association Les Tisseuses de Paroles ("The Weavers of Words"), serving as its president according to biographical sources. Her performances, delivered in both Spanish and French, blend Afro-Cuban oral traditions with international poetry and tales. Recently, she has been residing in Alicante, Spain, following 21 years in Switzerland.

The Asociación Cultural Amigos de Cuba de Albacete highlighted her work's deep connection to Cuban oral traditions, particularly its Afro-Cuban roots, which she has showcased worldwide. Her performances have graced stages in over 20 countries across Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America, including Mexico, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Luxembourg, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and Tunisia.

Celebrating Cultural Bridges Through Art

Beyond her stage work, Rodríguez is a pioneer of cultural initiatives linked to oral storytelling in Cuba. She has collaborated with notable figures in Cuban ethnology, integrating cultural research and popular tradition in her educational endeavors. Her accolades include the Juan Candela Oral Storytelling Award, Cuentería, El Cuentero, and the Ibero-American Chamán Award, along with theatrical honors for her roles in María Antonia by Eugenio Hernández and Santa Camila de La Habana Vieja by José Ramón Brene.

The Albacete association emphasized that the award acknowledges not only her outstanding artistic journey but also her dedication to the international promotion of Cuban culture, her pedagogical contributions, and her ability to bridge cultures through art and storytelling.

The award ceremony will feature performances by the "Los Guaracheros" dance troupe, the Alicante-based musical group "Latin Sound," singer Raiza Valladares, and singer-presenter Héctor Navarrete. Admission to the event is free.

Since 2008, the Asociación Cultural Amigos de Cuba has been organizing the Cuban Culture Day in Albacete around October 20, marking Cuba's National Culture Day, which commemorates the first singing of La Bayamesa (later the National Anthem) in Bayamo in 1868.

The XVIII edition will also showcase a photographic exhibition, dance workshops, a master dance class, a presentation of the Cuban novel No fue dios culpable by Ricardo Salmerón, and the screening of the documentary Para vivir: el implacable tiempo de Pablo Milanés.