Seventeen projects will receive funding thanks to the country’s leading competitive fund for musical creation.
San José, June 11, 2026. Seventeen musical projects from different regions of the country will receive funding to develop original works thanks to the second edition of Semilla Sonora, an initiative driven by the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), the La Libertad Park Foundation, and the Costa Rican Association of Composers and Music Authors (ACAM), which this year will allocate more than ₡20 million to strengthening Costa Rican musical creation and production.
The call for applications, open between March 16 and April 14, 2026, received 165 submissions, reflecting the creative dynamism of the national music sector and the interest of creators in accessing opportunities that promote composition, production, and the development of new artistic proposals.
Musical creation is one of the most vibrant expressions of Costa Rican cultural identity. Aware of the need to expand opportunities for composers, performers, and producers, the Ministry of Culture and Youth drove a strategic alliance with ACAM and the La Libertad Park Foundation to strengthen Semilla Sonora, a fund that has established itself as the main support mechanism for the creation of new musical works in Costa Rica.
“A country is not defined solely by what it produces, but also by what it creates. Every song, every work, and every composition born in Costa Rica expands our cultural identity and leaves a legacy for future generations. That is why we decided to strengthen Semilla Sonora through a strategic alliance with ACAM and the La Libertad Park Foundation, convinced that supporting our creators means investing in the country’s memory, diversity, and cultural future. Today this fund has established itself as the main instrument for supporting Costa Rican musical creation and an open door for new voices, new sounds, and new stories to find the space to flourish,” stated Jorge Rodríguez Vives, Minister of Culture and Youth.
For this edition, the total investment allocated to the fund amounted to ₡20,600,000, of which the Ministry of Culture and Youth contributed ₡10,000,000 and ACAM contributed ₡10,600,000.
Of the applications received, 16 corresponded to the Composition category, 90 to Production of an Unreleased Album, and 59 to Production of an Unreleased Single. After the evaluation process, the jury selected 17 winning projects that will receive financial support to bring their initiatives to fruition.
The selection process was carried out by recognized professionals from the national music scene. In the Composition category, the judges were Massimo Pericolo, Marvin Camacho, and Eddie Mora. The Unreleased Album Production and Unreleased Single Production categories were evaluated by Alfredo “Chino” Moreno, Silvia Baltodano, and Daniel Solano.
Winning Projects
Category A – Composition
- Raquel Tatiana Gómez Alvarado | Ola | Popular – singer-songwriter
- José Noguera Durán | Coquito | Popular – band
- Zihany Fonseca Quirós | Los Guardianes del Iztarú | Contemporary classical – ensemble
- Daniel Garrigues Herrera | Reflejos para dos marimbas | Contemporary classical – soloist or duo
- Oscar Jiménez Fernández | Guacalito parrandero | Experimental – native instruments
- Jonatán Albuja Salazar | Calipseando | Experimental – new technologies
Category B – Production of an Unreleased Album
- Daniel Patiño Quintana | Entre 2 Costas
- Alberto Stewart Guardia Heigold | Liquid Smile
- José Ricardo Quesada Chacón | Volver a Encontrarse
- Ana Gabriela Vargas Rojo | Aflorar
- Alesandra González Arce | Gabinete de complicidades
- Federico Granados Peralta | El pueblo de adobe
Category C – Production of an Unreleased Single
- José Andrés Elizondo Flores | Cofre de hielo
- Gabriel Loynaz Ortiz | Acá
- Mauricio Matías Muñoz Torres | Lágrimas de luna nueva
- Maricel Méndez Salazar | Dos piezas para fagot y marimba
- Nelly Juárez Villegas | Todo o Nada
More than just a competitive fund, Semilla Sonora represents a commitment to creativity, talent, and the ability of artists to narrate Costa Rica through music. Each selected project constitutes a new contribution to the country’s cultural heritage and proof that investing in culture also means investing in identity, opportunities, and development for present and future generations.
