AGP Executive Report

Fashion: Bogotá-born designer Haider Ackermann says a childhood spent across cultures shaped his storytelling and collections for Tom Ford and Canada Goose. Music: Juanes marks 25 years as a solo artist with a 25-track greatest-hits album, out Nov. 6. Medellín’s J Balvin has also helped open a free recording studio, giving young artists access to professional equipment. Art and Memory: Colombian artist Doris Salcedo reflects on the country’s struggle to remember after works tied to LGBTQ+ and feminist movements and the peace process were removed from the National Museum in Bogotá, then restored by court order. Cultural Bridges: Eight young musicians from Bolívar performed Colombian rhythms with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in Doha, in a project linking music with peacebuilding.

Art and Memory: Colombian artist Doris Salcedo reflects on the country’s struggle to preserve its history after a court ordered works removed from the National Museum—including pieces tied to LGBTQ+ and feminist movements and the peace process—returned to display. Music: Juanes marks 25 years as a solo artist with a 25-track greatest-hits album, due Nov. 6. J Balvin has helped open a free recording studio in a low-income Medellín neighborhood, giving young artists access to production equipment. Live Shows: Tiësto will play two Colombia concerts in 2027, in Bogotá and Medellín. Books: Cali has been named World Book Capital for 2027.

Live Music: Tiësto will play Bogotá on Feb. 19 and Medellín on Feb. 20, 2027, bringing the Dutch DJ back to Colombia for two shows. Streaming: Shakira tops Spotify’s most-listened Colombian artists worldwide, with about 88 million monthly listeners; J Balvin and Karol G follow. Books: Medellín’s 2027 World Book Capital year begins April 23, putting the city’s libraries and literary scene in the global spotlight. Music Access: J Balvin has helped open a free professional recording studio in a low-income Medellín neighborhood, giving young artists access to production equipment. Art and Nightlife: Cartagena’s Alquímico ranked fourth in the 2026 Top 500 Bars, placing Colombia among the world’s leading bar scenes.

Literary Spotlight: Medellín will become UNESCO’s 2027 World Book Capital, putting its libraries, bookstores and reading programs on the international stage. Music Access: J Balvin helped open a free professional recording studio in a low-income Medellín neighborhood, giving young artists access to music-production equipment. Museum News: Objects have been reinstalled at the Museo Nacional de Colombia after their removal drew attention. Live Music: BTS’s Latin American tour drew 853,000 fans across 14 sold-out shows, while the group’s streaming numbers are also rising in Colombia. Pitbull is set to bring his “I’m Back” tour to Colombia in 2027.

Music Access: J Balvin’s Medellín foundation backs public recording studios that give young artists professional equipment and training without cost barriers. The Comuna 1 studio welcomes all genres, not just reggaeton. Museum & Heritage: Museo Nacional de Colombia has reinstalled 63 objects removed from its galleries, including a peace-agreement pen and a Pride flag, after a court ordered their return and barred removals based on content. Concerts & Fans: BTS drew 853,000 fans across 14 sold-out Latin American shows, while a reported streaming surge in Colombia points to the group’s growing local following. Pitbull is also set to bring his “I’m Back” tour to Colombia in 2027.

Concerts: BTS wrapped its Latin American tour with 14 sold-out shows and 853,000 fans; the Bogotá opener was the group’s first full-band concert in Colombia. Film: Producers Invercine, Gema Films and Gaman Cine are bringing new projects to Sanfic Industria, including a portrait of singer Mercedes Sosa and an adaptation of a novel by Alejandro Zambra. Coming to Bogotá: The Neighbourhood will play Festival Estéreo Picnic on March 19, 2027, as part of its newly announced tour. Colombian culture: Día de los Angelitos highlights a Caribbean tradition of remembering children who have died. Martial arts: Bucaramanga-born Arnoby Sinam Alba helped establish ninjutsu in Colombia after training in Japan, bringing the discipline to local schools and television. Live music: Pitbull is set to return to Colombia in 2027 with his I’m Back tour.

Global Music: BTS closed its Latin American tour with 14 sold-out shows and 853,000 fans. The Bogotá stop marked the group’s first full-band concert in Colombia and helped lift airport bookings by 46.6% year over year. Coming to Bogotá: The Neighbourhood will play Festival Estéreo Picnic on March 19, 2027, as part of its new world tour. Living Heritage: Colombia’s Caribbean communities marked Día de los Angelitos on Nov. 1, with children singing door to door and, in some towns, gathering ingredients for communal sancocho. Books & Readers: Book clubs are booming across Colombia, turning pandemic-era reading groups into lasting spaces for discussion. Colombian-born author Inger E. Johnson is also bringing the country into two new novels, including an emerald-themed murder mystery. Medellín Music: Irish singer Rebecca Winckworth, who stayed in Medellín during the pandemic, won local affection with nightly balcony performances and went on to perform with the Colombian National Symphony Orchestra.

Live Music: The Neighbourhood will bring its 2027 tour to Bogotá for Festival Estéreo Picnic on March 19, adding a major international act to the city’s festival calendar. Caribbean Traditions: Colombia’s Día de los Angelitos, celebrated Nov. 1, brings children into the streets to sing and gather ingredients for communal sancocho, keeping a regional tradition of solidarity alive. Medellín’s Music Scene: Irish singer Rebecca Winckworth stayed in Medellín after pandemic lockdown balcony concerts drew thousands; she went on to perform with the Colombian National Symphony. Reading Culture: Book clubs are booming across Colombia, with in-person and online groups creating spaces for shared reading and discussion. Touring Acts: Pitbull is also set to return to Colombia in 2027 with his I’m Back Tour.

Music: Medellín-based singer Rebecca Winckworth is heading back to Mullingar Arts Centre, years after her balcony performances during lockdown made her a local star in Colombia. Books: Colombian-born author Inger E. Johnson draws on the country’s history and settings in two new novels, including The Muzo Emerald Murders, out Nov. 4. Colombia’s book-club boom also points to growing appetite for shared reading and discussion. Visual Arts: A government move to remove works from Colombian museums has sparked backlash, while a new contemporary art exhibition brings art into a tropical dry forest. Live Shows: Pitbull is set to bring his “I’m Back” tour to Colombia in 2027.

Reading Culture: Colombia’s book-club boom is turning pandemic-era groups into lasting communities for curated discussion, literary discovery and social connection. Halloween in Bogotá: The city’s Oct. 31 celebrations include haunted attractions, concerts, costume parties and family events. Art Debate: A government museum’s removal of artworks has sparked backlash, putting Colombia’s cultural collections and curatorial decisions in the spotlight. Live Music: Pitbull is set to return to Colombia in 2027 with his “I’m Back” tour.

Music: Cuban singer Oniel Bebeshito won his first international award at the Monitor Latino ceremony in Bucaramanga, taking the Best Supporting Artist prize. Art: A government-ordered removal of works from Colombian museums has sparked backlash, while a new contemporary art exhibition brings work into a tropical dry forest setting. Film: Bogotá is preparing to host the 2026 International Documentary Film Festival, putting nonfiction cinema in the spotlight. Live Entertainment: Pitbull is set to return to Colombia in 2027 with his I’m Back Tour. Culture: Colombia’s National Beauty Pageant will mark 92 years of tradition in 2026.

Music: Cuban singer Oniel Bebeshito won his first international award at the Monitor Latino ceremony in Bucaramanga, taking Best Supporting Artist. Pitbull is also set to bring his “I’m Back” tour to Colombia in 2027. Visual Arts: A Colombian government move to remove works from museums has sparked backlash, while a new contemporary art exhibition has opened in a tropical dry forest. Film: Bogotá is preparing to host the 2026 International Documentary Film Festival. Pageantry: Colombia’s national beauty pageant marks 92 years, celebrating a longstanding cultural tradition.

Pageant & Heritage: Colombia’s National Beauty Pageant marks 92 years Nov. 5–17, with 26 candidates and a program celebrating regional crafts, music and traditions. Live Music: Pitbull brings his I’m Back Tour to Medellín on Feb. 4, 2027, with hits including “Give Me Everything” and “Timber.” Books & City Culture: Medellín is UNESCO’s 2027 World Book Capital, spotlighting its libraries, bookshops and street art through a year of events. Visual Arts: A new contemporary art exhibition in a tropical dry forest puts Colombia’s landscapes in focus, as a separate government museum-art purge draws backlash. Colombian Music: Karol G, Feid and Juanes are among the Colombian artists nominated for the 2026 Latin Grammys.

Colombian Artist: Juan Pablo Santa Luna left a successful corporate career to pursue art; he now helps lead Boston’s Mills Gallery and created its “Win-Winn” exhibition. Literary Medellín: UNESCO has named the city World Book Capital for 2027, spotlighting its libraries, bookshops and role in using culture to build peace. Music: BTS streams in Colombia have surged 300% in three years, as the group’s “Arirang” tour draws fans across Latin America. Museum Dispute: The National Museum’s removal of objects tied to the peace process, LGBTQ rights and social movements has sparked protests and criticism from artists and historians. Halloween in Bogotá: The city’s Oct. 31 lineup includes haunted attractions, concerts, costume parties and family events.

Music: BTS streams in Colombia have surged 300% in three years, with the group’s “Arirang” tour drawing fans across Latin America after opening its regional leg in Bogotá. Warner Music Latina has promoted Roberto Andrade Dirak to lead the label and regional A&R, with Colombian artists among its roster. Bogotá: Halloween brings haunted attractions, concerts, costume parties and family activities from Oct. 30 into early November. Visual Arts: Colombia has opened a contemporary art exhibition in a tropical dry forest, while a reported government museum art purge has sparked backlash. Film: Colombia-born actor John Leguizamo will receive Denver Film Festival’s John Cassavetes Award on Friday, alongside a screening of “The Odyssey.” Pageantry: Miss Universe Colombia María Alejandra López heads to Puerto Rico on Nov. 24, aiming for a third crown for the country and drawing on her mother’s pageant legacy.

Public Art: Colombia’s “Arrastres” exhibition turns seven tons of Magdalena River driftwood into an outdoor installation at Honda Botanical Garden, opening Nov. 1 and drawing attention to the country’s threatened tropical dry forests. Museum Dispute: A government-ordered purge of Colombia’s National Museum collection has sparked backlash, with more than 30 works reportedly removed before a court order halted further action. Music Industry: Warner Music Group promoted Roberto Andrade Dirak to lead Warner Music Latina and A&R across Latin America; his recent signings include Colombian breakout artist Aria Vega. Art and AI: A Vatican-backed contemporary art triennial spanning seven countries, including Colombia, brings more than 100 artists together to champion human creativity amid AI’s rise. Film and Music: Bogotá is set to host the 2026 International Documentary Film Festival, while Karol G, Feid, Juanes and other Colombian artists earned Latin Grammy nominations.