Get ready for a weekend full of art and culture for all tastes

If you’re looking for entertaining, educational, and unique plans to enjoy with family or friends, the Ministry of Culture and Youth invites you to explore the wide agenda of activities it offers for this weekend.

Find all the details in the information below:

We’re off on a Cultural RIDE to the province of Flowers

The MCJ will bring its RIDE Cultural program to the province of Heredia, as part of its tours to different parts of the country, with the aim of bringing art and culture closer to the public without leaving their communities.

This is the third edition of the RIDE 2025 tours, and this time it will arrive in Vara Blanca, Santa Bárbara, and Barva in Heredia, offering activities for audiences of all ages, promising fun and learning for these communities.

RIDE Cultural will take place on Friday, May 16, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Vara Blanca; on Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., in Santa Bárbara; and on Sunday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., in Barva.

Over the course of the three days, there will be music performances, theater workshops, storytelling, art exhibitions, dance and folk dance shows, literature, and employability workshops for youth, among other themes.

The activities will be led by institutions and programs of the MCJ such as the National Music Institute, the National Dance Company, the National Theater Workshop, the General Directorate of Bands, the Costa Rican Center for Film Production, and the Casa del Artista School, among others.
To find the locations and schedules of RIDE Cultural Heredia, you can check the MCJ’s social media or visit the site: ridecultural.cr

Celebrating International Museum Day will bring an artistic atmosphere

Next Sunday, May 18, International Museum Day will be celebrated, an observance created 40 years ago by the International Council of Museums to recognize, highlight, and enhance the value of these cultural spaces that foster resilience, innovation, and inclusion, while promoting social progress through art.

The MCJ will offer a series of activities including workshops, talks, guided tours, and interactive events such as drawing and recreating museum facades. Details below:

Schedule:

Museum of Contemporary Art and Design

Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Free drawing of the architectural and heritage façade of the MADC, main entrance of the museum, National Center of Culture (CENAC)

José Figueres Ferrer Cultural and Historical Center

Saturday, May 17, 11:30 a.m. Drawing space, CCHJFF, San Ramón

Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia Museum

Saturday, May 17, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Workshop “Rediscovering the Museum” by Rodolfo Rojas Rocha. Registration: reservasmcg@musecal.go.cr

Costa Rican Art Museum

Sunday, May 18, 10 a.m. Artistic workshop to create three-dimensional cards inspired by the museum building

Check the full program for International Museum Day on the Ministry of Culture and Youth’s Facebook page and at: https://tinyurl.com/3mc7976e

Thought-provoking and international cinema

This week, the Preámbulo space of the Costa Rican Center for Film Production will offer two film series inviting the public to reflect on social topics.

The first, “Cinema and…”, will address the theme of masculinities, from a critical view of the social constructs around this topic, exploring the stories, contradictions, vulnerabilities, and resistances of male characters. As part of this cycle, the films “Full Monty” (May 15) and “Sexy Beast” (Friday, May 16) will be screened, both at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Territories Cycle will present two films as part of the Contemporary Latin American Film Festival. On Saturday, May 17, at 4 p.m., “The Black Creoles” will be screened, and at 7 p.m., “Reinas”. Both films explore themes such as migration and Afro-descendant identity.

All screenings will take place in the Gómez Miralles Room, at the Film Center, located in Barrio Otoya, behind the main building of the National Insurance Institute.
Admission is free, seating is limited, and attendees are advised to check the film ratings, as some are for audiences aged 18 and over. Find the full schedule at: www.centrodecine.go.cr

Briefs | Cultural Agenda

Visual Arts

Magón Awards Gallery – Discover the personalities awarded for their lifetime achievements. Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Small Tower of the National Center of Culture (CENAC)

Theater

“Ese día Cartago será campeón” by Teatro Doble. Written by Pedro José Sánchez Rovira, directed by Andrea Mata Benavides, and performed by Esteban León Barquero. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Fundación Hogar Jimena. Showtimes: Thursday 15 to Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, May 18 at 5 p.m., Teatro 1887. General admission: ₡6,000 colones. Reservations and information: 8923-9873

Music

Special concert by the National Band of San José and the Symphonic Band of the University of Oregon. Friday, May 16, 7 p.m., Fidel Gamboa Amphitheater, National Center of Culture (CENAC)
Music Masters Concert – Featuring the Concert Band of the University of North Carolina and the Concert Band of the University of Missouri, USA. Saturday, May 17, 6 p.m., Main Hall, National Theater. Free entry, limited seating.
International Museum Day Commemorative Concert – With the Guanacaste Concert Band. Sunday, May 18, 7 p.m., Rodolfo Salazar Park, former plaza of La Agonía, Liberia.