(bron: Globalfest)

globalFEST is excited to announce this year’s guest curator, Viviana Benitez, who brings new perspective and leadership to this year’s festival programming. Viviana has joined Isabel Soffer, Bill Bragin, and Shanta Thake as a curator for the 2021 globalFEST, tentatively set for January 2021.

 
Viviana is a first-generation New Yorker, daughter of Paraguayan immigrants who raised her and her four siblings in Jamaica, Queens. Viviana got her start in event production in 2006 while working in non-profit development and advancement. Here she organized galas and cultivation events, often needing to hire exceptional musicians such as Bobby Sanabria, Marika Hughes, and Jason Moran. This eventually led her into the music industry.
 
Viviana’s work over the past decade within the performing arts and music industry has included managing, touring, curating and producing, namely as the manager and agent of globalFEST alumni MAKU Soundsystem and as Associate Producer at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. At LCPA she helped develop and produce the very popular monthly Latin Dance series ¡VAYA! 63, the 60th Anniversary Block Party, and over 500 weekly public and free events at the David Rubenstein Atrium. As an activist and social justice advocate, Viviana worked with immigrant artists navigating various hurdles including bureaucratic red tape for international travel; was a founding member on the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council at Lincoln Center; and is an active member of Women of Color in the Arts and the Folk Alliance International.
 
Viviana follows Stephanie Orentas, who was gF’s guest curator for our 2020 edition.