The fourth centenary of the death of Cervantes is celebrated with 229 projects

USPA NEWS - The National Commission for the fourth centenary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes has approved the official program of activities and tax incentives attaching to them, with which it intends to conclude the most famous author of Spanish literature.

The commemoration has already approved 229 projects, although the official program will remain open to artists, actors and institutions who wish to participate by presenting their proposals by April 23. The aim of this fourth centenary is to expand access of the general public to the life, work and the Cervantes era. To do this, the official program is structured around three main areas: first, an extensive cultural program, nationally and internationally, exhibitions, concerts, theatrical productions and tours, dance, cinema, conferences and a host of educational activities and promotion of reading.

Second, academic research on Cervantes, his work and his legacy, with strict scientific rigor criteria. Finally, disclosure of the life and work of Cervantes using the tools of the century, both for digitizing funds to the social communication of the contents. The commemoration aims to deepen research and academic knowledge of Cervantes and his work, supporting projects such as the Cervantes Digital Encyclopedia or portal.

Also include scanning and virtual experiences such as micro site developed by the National Library of Spain (BNE its acronym in Spanish), which is facilitated public access to all funds in “˜El Quijote´ preserved; creating an online catalog of the collections in state museums in the Department of Fine Arts related to the life, work and times of the author; or virtual exhibition organized by the General Department of State Archives of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.

It is expected that all these actions benefit positively in the development of cultural tourism, especially all those Spanish regions associated with the life journey of the author and the various itineraries that trace their works. Among the approved projects include the exhibition organized by the BNE and Spanish Cultural Action (AC / E) 'Miguel de Cervantes: mito. 1616-2016 of life', which opens on March 2 and which they have been invited the Kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia.

Within the program also include digitization projects and virtual experiences. In many of them there will be collaboration with Google through the Google Cultural Institute, which will provide support to the institutions that are part of the Commission, both in the work of digitizing its Cervantes content and the dissemination through its platform. This will allow many of the exhibitions in Spain are also accessible from anywhere in the world via the Internet.

There is a wide variety of musical and scenic proposals launched by the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM its acronym in Spanish) and the concerts 'Miguel de Cervantes: Travel and utopias' and 'Dances and Andanzas of Cervantes' or the ballet 'Don Quixote', by the National Dance Company, which will tour Spain, Mexico and ends at Lincoln Center in New York.

International dimension

The commemoration has a strong international dimension through Spanish Cultural Action, embassies, cultural centers AECID and the Cervantes Institute, will allow the celebration of Cervantes year is present in virtually all countries with Spanish diplomatic presence. The main events of the fourth centenary broad international circuit will travel from Moscow to Shanghai, from Buenos Aires to Nakamura. In cases where physical itinerary is impossible, as the exhibition that will open at the National Library of Spain, virtual versions have been prepared for international tour.

Given the special relationship with Latin America the figure of Cervantes, the commemoration will have in Africa a special resonance. Spain will be the guest country this year at the prestigious Cervantes Festival in Guanajuato, Mexico, and the Cervantes Festival of Uruguay, with significant involvement of Spanish companies dedicated to Cervantes shows and various exchange projects. Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile also host important activities.

It has also been especially careful collaboration with the British authorities, coinciding with the commemoration of the fourth centenary of the death of William Shakespeare. Are scheduled conferences, exchanges of professor residences or editing in English and Spanish of unpublished texts on both organized in collaboration with Spanish Cultural Action authors, the Embassy of Spain, the University of Alcala and British institutions like the British Council, Hay Festival, British Spanish Society, the University of Oxford or the Queen Mary University of London.

But not only large Western capitals have programming the Centenary. Cervantes universal interest will be reflected by the embassies of Spain in countries such as Guinea Conakry, Mali and Niger, where, to quote a project, a comic-illustration with local artists under the slogan 'Quixote in Niger' will be created. Not to mention Algeria, where it has already begun an extensive cultural program in cooperation with local authorities.