Article by Francisco Carrasco, CEO Luma Creations – 03/03/25
The vision and work of Luma Creations as a whole, along with the experiences and knowledge of the members of the organisation, naturally positions us on an international platform. I often ask myself – What does that mean?
As an artist and a cultural activist, I have always worked in an international context. Latin American culture is mostly portrayed in bitesize stereotypes that give the British public Fiesta vibes or make them think of holidays. The main boxes we are put into are Salsa dancing, Mariachi bands and Samba Carnival. These are all wonderful examples of Latin American culture, however, they present a one-dimensional view of our many cultures. Latin America is a vast and extremely diverse continent with as many layers as an onion, and to understand the richness and real beauty, you have to peel those many layers.
From the very beginning, Luma Creations has created work that aims to break down stereotypes and is international by the work we produce: from local communities to the international stage, we have always fostered connections through our work, collaborating with artists from across Latin America and the world. Our mission is to share, showcase, and celebrate the rich diversity and exceptional quality of Latin American cultures. To achieve the level of impact we aspire to, it is essential that we work with artists who are, by definition, international—recognised for their artistry and talent on a global scale.
Newen Afrobeat – photo by Camila Espindola
The pandemic pushed us further into the international arena. As many had to, we worked hard to re-imagine our programme in an online landscape to fulfil a small part of the void that this new reality created. We moved online with all our programming and LA FERIA Festival in 2020 shifted fully onto online platforms. We invited artists based in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru as well as those based in the UK, to produce online work for the festival. We interviewed many artists online and held panels as well as delivered workshops and much more. This allowed us to reach audiences from across the world, enabling us to consider our work within an international arena.
Since then, Luma Creations has redefined itself, serving as a gateway for touring Latin American artists and groups in the north and nationally. A consulting organisation, with team members invited as delegates and guests at various conferences and festivals in Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and the UK, among others. Furthermore, Luma Creations continues to be a strong advocate for Latin American artists and communities, championing their presence and contributions across the North of England and the UK as a whole.
Award winning artists such as Hamilton de Holanda (Brazil) Marta Gomez (Colombia) and Nano Stern (Chile) were present in LA FERIA 2024 International Festival and amazing touring artists such as Newen Afrobeat, Camila & Silvio, Omar Puentes, Killa Beat Maker, MC Millaray and many more have performed as part of Luma Creations’ annual programme with 2025 promising to be just as incredible with artists such as Francisco El Hombre (Mexico/Brazil), Ghetto Kumbé (Colombia), Antonio Monasterio Ensemble (Chile) to name a few.
Taken from Francisco’s International Reach lecture at SCD Central Office in Santiago, Chile
In 2024 members of the team were present at multiple international events including WOMEX in Manchester, MicSur South American Cultural Expo (Santiago Chile), UNESCO Music Cities invitation to Concepcion, Frutillar & Valparaiso (Chile), Feira Preta (Brazil). I delivered talks at La Serena University, Valparaíso’s Rockódromo Festival and Music Conference, and was honoured to be invited to speak on internationalising music to an audience of over 60 professional musicians at SCD (Chile)—the country’s equivalent of PRS in the UK.
Luma Creations’ international work continues to develop with ongoing collaborations through the UNESCO Music City network as well as developing partnerships with cultural institutions and music, dance and theatre organisations and touring bands from across Latin America. We believe we are a perfect fit to grow our international reach and aim to create a programme that encourages international collaborations, exchanges and shared learning to ensure our participants, audiences and partners are able to experience the vast diversity of the cultures, people and communities of Latin America.
Luma Creations continues to expand its international work through ongoing collaborations within the UNESCO Music City network, as well as through partnerships with cultural institutions, music, dance and theatre organisations, and touring artists from across Latin America. We believe we are ideally positioned to strengthen and grow our global reach and are committed to developing a programme that fosters international collaborations, artistic exchanges, and shared learning, ensuring that our participants, audiences, and partners have the opportunity to experience the vast diversity of Latin American cultures, communities, and people.
Mexican pianist Montserrat Fuentes Romero, Luma Creations’ Latin American Artist Network Member
