The Cuban film poster has been quietly asserting the importance of national cultural expression since 1959. This exhibition showcases a range of contemporary Cuban Film Poster design for contemporary and classic works of cinema. The posters exhibited use the same approaches and techniques which emerged within the early years of the Cuban Revolution as part of a government policy. The aim was to encourage the emergence of authentically Cuban cultural expressions which would be produced by nurturing the latent creative talent of the population. In short art for all who wanted it, by all who wanted to make it. Part of this drive involved exploring and bringing together different elements of Cuban national identity and its constituent cultures, as well as encouraging the general public to be active spectators.

Film poster design, which was initially pioneered as an answer to the dominance of Hollywood in Cuba, focused on the big themes of films (and later cultural events, or public information communication) rather than the fame of any of the actors. The conceptual image was embraced, and a multitude of styles were encouraged in a bid to reject any specific style becoming associated with socialism. This tradition which began in the early 1960s is now a recognised part of Cuba’s cultural heritage. CartelON helps to keep this tradition alive by championing the work of young designers. This is the first time these posters have been shown in the UK.

The exhibition is in BACKLIT gallery and runs from Saturday, July 9^th until Thursday, July 14^th. The exhibition of posters will be accompanied throughout the week by a series of film screenings illustrating the complexity and diversity of Cuban society, musical performances from Cuban musicians, and public talks.

This exhibition and programme are organised by Isabel Story and curated by Cartelon Cuba with support from Nottingham Trent University.

The event is open the following days:

Friday 8^th July: Private Viewing
Saturday 9^th July: 12:00-20:00
Sunday 10^th July: 12:00-19:00
Monday 11^th July: closed
Tuesday 12^th July: 12:00 -20:00
Wednesday 13^th July: 12:00-20:00
Thursday 14^th July: 12:00-20:00