HablArte! Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Flamenco is not simply a dance. It is not simply a song. It is a living, breathing argument about what it means to be human — rooted in the soil of Andalusia, shaped by centuries of cultural collision, and as urgently alive in 2026 as it has ever been. And this March, Chicago gets to experience it firsthand. On this episode of HablArte! we sit down with four remarkable voices at t...

Send us Fan Mail This week on the podcast, we're honored to welcome Nani Vazana , the millennial Ladino singer-songwriter who won the 2024 Eurovision for minority languages (Liet International)  and whose work has been documented for the Library of Congress  Nani heard Ladino from her Moroccan grandmother in secret, as her father forbade the language at home. Those whispered songs and kitchen...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of HablArte!, meet Ed Mejía, a Washington D.C.-based graphic designer whose poster design has just won the Chicago Latino Film Festival's Poster Contest. Selected from over 700 submissions, Ed's design will serve as the face of the festival this April. Join us as Ed shares the inspiration behind his winning poster, how the Windy City influenced his creati...

Send us Fan Mail On this very special episode of HablArte! we talk to Multi-Grammy Winner Alex Cuba on his upcoming Chicago concert at the International Latino Cultural Center's 25th Anniversary Celebration next 14th of November 2025.  Alex will be playing an intimate concert and introducing his very latest Album "Índole" which has dropped on Nov. 7th just in time for this his first...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of HablArte!, we sit down with Omar Torres Kortright , Executive Director of the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Chicago, for an inspiring conversation about the city's vibrant Latino cultural scene—past and present. Omar shares the rich history of the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center and reflects on 25 years of meaningful collaborations with the Int...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we are pleased to talk to Juan Dies , founder and Executive Director of Sones de Mexico , a Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated ensemble celebrating their own 30 year trajectory that has laid down the soundtrack for Son over the last 30 years. Dies is a pillar of Chicago ´s cultural scene and we talk to him about the establishment of his organization that continues to edu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of HablArte! we continue our celebration of 25 years at the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago with Deputy Executive Director Mateo Mulcahy.  Mateo has been promoting and producing world music events for decades and brings his experience to the ILCC with the Chicago Latino Music Series which has been expanded much since 2022.  Come and explore the Lati...

Send us Fan Mail HablArte! Episode 1: Celebrating 25 Years of Cultural Impact Join us for the first of eleven special episodes commemorating the 25th anniversary of the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago . Host James Klein sits down with Alejandro Riera, long time film critic and the Chicago Latino Film Festival's Press Coordinator, to explore the ILCC's most significant mil...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of HablArte! we are speaking with Mateo Mulcahy, the ILCC's Deputy Executive Director and the man in charge of programming much of the music series we all enjoy year round. This time, Mateo is presenting the Levitt VIBE Chicago Music Series, a collaboration with the Levitt Foundation to use under utilized spaces to promote and uplift artistic voices. This seco...

Send us Fan Mail Physical Theatre Festival will soon be underway in June and we have Alice DaCunha and Mark Frost with us on HablArte! to talk about REWIND a play that has collected many awards and accolades, even being named the best physical theatre play of 2024 by The Guardian in the UK.  Join us with host Mateo Mulcahy as we explore this extraordinary theatre presentation in Chicago on June 5t...

Send us Fan Mail When Nora's son Gustavo became one of "the disappeared" during Argentina's Military Junta in the 70's, she transformed from ordinary mother to extraordinary activist, standing against authoritarianism for five decades while demanding answers and accountability. Her remarkable journey from personal tragedy to political resistance has inspired human rights m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of HablArte! we talk with Colombian Actress, Writer, Novelist and Film Director Patricia Castañeda . Her directorial debut film, Dear Gentlemen / Estimados Señores will be the 41st Chicago Latino Film Festival's Opening Night Feature film on April 3rd • Tickets now on sale at ChicagoLatinoFilmFestival.org . We explore Patricia's stellar acting career, wri...

Send us Fan Mail Every year the Chicago Latino Film Festival holds a contest for the design of the next editions Festival. This year, the competition was stiff and the selection committee had to consider over 700+ submissions.  Camila 'Mila' Bernardo was the winner this year with a vibrant fun design that captures the many juggling tasks creators have to manage these days. Filmmakers oft...

Send us Fan Mail This week on HablArte!, we're diving into the soul-stirring world of Fado with one of Portugal's most iconic voices: Carminho. Discover the rich tapestry of this Portuguese musical tradition that Carminho has helped popularize globally. With six albums under her belt, a Grammy nomination, and numerous appearances in TV and film, Carminho is a true cultural ambassador. Yo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we will take a tour of Brazilian music at the hands of Maestro André Mehmari. He will be performing at the Epiphany Center for the Arts on November 24th. Join us on this very interesting episode! Support the show This Podcast is produced by the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, a Pan Latino Cultural Organization that seeks to promote, educate and emp...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we are talking with world renowned "Gaitero" Carlos Núñez. This amazing Galician artist from Spain plays some of the world's oldest known instruments, the bagpipes, liars, flutes and harps, bringing us through a journey in time and space to a better understanding and appreciation of Galician Celtic Music. Núñez will be performing at the Irish American Her...

Send us Fan Mail Alejandro Riera is the self-professed "Last Latino Film Critic" left in Chicago. He is a walking encyclopedia of Latino Film as well as the Press Officer for the Chicago Latino Film Festival and the International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC). In this episode we will be talking about The Reel Film Club, a truly unique Latino film experience in Chicago that screens a Lati...