AGP Executive Report

Film Adaptation: Producers, including Netflix and Amazon, have shown interest in a film based on Eder Holguin’s memoir of growing up on Medellín’s streets and rebuilding his life in New York; talks are ongoing, with no deal announced. Music and Culture: Bogotá’s Rock al Parque, Latin America’s largest free rock festival, is marking its 30th anniversary. Colombian pianist Julián Pernett Castilla is also drawing attention for compositions shaped by his cultural roots. Shakira’s Legacy: Nearly three decades after launching her education mission at age 20, Shakira’s foundation says it has supported more than 300 public schools in Colombia.

Arts and Education: Shakira’s foundation says it has helped support more than 300 public schools in Colombia, extending a mission she began nearly three decades ago. Fashion: Swimwear label Agua Bendita is targeting luxury and expansion in the U.S. and Europe, betting on 15% growth. Live Music: Estéreo Picnic’s 2027 lineup includes Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr, while Bogotá’s Rock al Parque marks its 30th anniversary. Screen and Sound: Caracol’s Ditu has added four Korean dramas through a deal with CJ ENM, and Colombian pianist Julián Pernett Castilla is developing a composing voice rooted in his cultural heritage.

Music & Impact: Shakira’s 13-show Madrid residency drew about 700,000 fans, prompting fresh questions about the emissions created when audiences travel to major concerts. Colombian Art Abroad: Oscar Murillo is among more than 120 artists named for Qatar’s new Rubaiya quadrennial. Bogotá Spotlight: The city will host the 2027 World Cup Tasters Championship as part of World of Coffee. Festivals & Film: Rock al Parque marks its 30th anniversary, while Estéreo Picnic has announced major names for its 2027 lineup; Colombian film Un Poeta is also drawing attention for its challenge to the country’s cultural establishment. Festival Safety: An Australian man was found with 25 stab wounds after attending Medellín’s Electric Daisy Carnival, his family says.

Festival Safety: Australian visitor Frank Stephen Ramirez remains in critical condition after an alleged kidnapping and stabbing following Medellín’s Electric Daisy Carnival. His family says he was tortured and stabbed 25 times; Colombian authorities are investigating. Colombian Cinema: Ventana Sur Proyecta unveiled 12 projects from emerging filmmakers, with a Colombian title among a lineup backed by prominent Latin American producers. Live Music: Estéreo Picnic 2027 has named Travis Scott, Charli XCX and Sombr among its headliners, while Bogotá’s Rock al Parque marks its 30th anniversary as one of Latin America’s largest free rock festivals.

Festival Safety: An Australian visitor is fighting for his life after being found with 25 stab wounds in Medellín following the Electric Daisy Carnival; his family says he was kidnapped and tortured, and authorities are reviewing footage. Colombian Cuisine: Chef María Cecilia Restrepo won a competition in Turkey with a dish celebrating Caribbean street food, pairing kibbeh with black-corn arepas de huevo. Pageant News: Risaralda’s María Alejandra López Pérez was crowned Miss Universe Colombia 2026 and will represent the country in Puerto Rico. Music & Screen: Caracol’s Ditu has secured four Korean dramas, while Bogotá-born cellist and composer Santiago Cañón-Valencia brings his own compositions to an upcoming Cleveland concert. Film: Simón Mesa Soto’s black comedy Un poeta offers a fresh challenge to Colombia’s cinematic conventions. Live Music: Estéreo Picnic’s 2027 lineup includes Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr; Bogotá’s Rock al Parque is also marking its 30th anniversary.

Live Music: Medellín’s Electric Daisy Carnival debut was marred by the deaths of two foreign attendees; authorities are investigating, and a third visitor was attacked. Screen: Caracol’s Ditu has acquired four Korean dramas from CJ ENM, its first such deal, with Spanish-dubbed titles coming to Colombian viewers. Film: Simón Mesa Soto’s Un poeta offers a comic challenge to Colombian cinema’s tradition of turning poverty into spectacle, centering on a struggling poet in Medellín. Music: Bogotá cellist and composer Santiago Cañón-Valencia is set to perform his own works alongside Bach and George Crumb in Cleveland, while Rock al Parque marked its 30th edition with three free days of live music in Bogotá. Culture: Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos, founded in 1997, now supports more than 300 public schools, extending the singer’s longtime education initiative across Colombia.

Music: Fontaines D.C. have released “Where Is Gone?,” a dramatic collaboration with Rosalía, and are set to play festival dates in Colombia. Colombian Breakthrough: Barranquillera Aria Vega is taking her “Costeñita Core” pop on tour and heads into the Latin Grammys as a Best New Artist nominee. Live Industry: Live Nation is expanding its Latin American investments, with Colombia among the markets in its growing promoter and venue network. Visual Arts: Bogotá photographer Sebastián Rodríguez de Castro is exhibiting in Portsmouth, UK, with a project exploring family archives and memory. Festival Watch: Rock al Parque marks its 30th anniversary, while Estéreo Picnic has announced Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr among its 2027 headliners.

Colombian Pop: Barranquilla-born Aria Vega is taking her Caribbean-rooted “Costeñita Core” sound on her first U.S. tour and is nominated for Latin Grammy Best New Artist. Music and Family: Medellín’s Jessi Uribe and Paola Jara discuss building careers and raising a family together, alongside Puerto Rican couple Zhamira and Jay Wheeler, ahead of a Billboard Latin Music Week panel. Cross-Border Collaboration: Fontaines D.C. have released “Where Is Gone?,” a dramatic new track featuring Rosalía. Festival News: Rock al Parque is turning 30, while Estéreo Picnic has announced Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr among its 2027 headliners. Colombia will also host Electric Daisy Carnival in 2026. Colombian Art Abroad: Bogotá artist Sebastian Rodriguez de Castro will show his photography in Portsmouth, exploring family archives, memory and how images fade. Latin American Cinema: The Abya Yala Film Festival runs Oct. 15–18 with films from Colombia and six other countries, plus photography and live music. Culture Policy: Across Latin America, culture ministries are increasingly caught in political battles over funding, values and the role of the arts.

Culture & Publishing: Bogotá’s Placeres magazine unveiled its second issue, blending food, travel, art and fashion, and plans to move to quarterly publishing in January. Music: Colombian-rooted singer Sasha Keable performed “Options” and “Why” on Saturday Night Live UK; her latest single’s video was filmed in Colombia. Festivals: Rock al Parque is marking its 30th anniversary, while Estéreo Picnic has announced Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr among its 2027 headliners. Bogotá’s SOFA is also spotlighting cosplay as a shared language of belonging. Film & TV: Netflix’s One Hundred Years of Solitude has generated an estimated US$162 million in Colombia, as the streamer prepares Palacio, an eight-part series about the 1985 Palace of Justice siege. In Memoriam: Argentine singer-songwriter Piero, remembered for “Mi Viejo” and his ties to Colombia, has died at 81.

Publishing: Bogotá-based Placeres unveiled its second issue, bringing together food, travel, art and fashion; the magazine plans to move to quarterly editions in January. Live Music: Rock al Parque celebrated 30 years in Simón Bolívar Park, keeping its free, local-music roots at the heart of Bogotá’s cultural calendar. Screen: Netflix’s eight-part Colombian series Palacio, about the 1985 Palace of Justice siege, is set to premiere Nov. 6, following the global success of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Fan Culture: Bogotá’s SOFA fair put cosplay and fantasy fandom in the spotlight, framing them as a source of belonging. Coming Up: Estéreo Picnic’s 2027 lineup includes Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr.

Screen Spotlight: Netflix’s Colombian series Under Siege—titled Palacio in Spanish—will premiere Nov. 6. The eight-part drama revisits the 1985 Palace of Justice siege and is described as Netflix’s most ambitious Colombian production after One Hundred Years of Solitude. Live Music: Bogotá’s free Rock al Parque celebrates its 30th anniversary Oct. 10–12, bringing Colombian and international rock acts to Simón Bolívar Park. Meanwhile, Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr are among the announced headliners for Estéreo Picnic 2027. Culture & Community: SOFA 2026 put cosplay and geek culture in the spotlight in Bogotá, while Colombia is set to host Electric Daisy Carnival this year. Music Remembered: Argentine singer-songwriter Piero, whose songs had a strong connection to Colombia, has died at 81; Colombian national anthem singer Víctor Hugo Ayala has also died, aged 92.

Live Music: Bogotá’s Rock al Parque celebrates 30 years this weekend, Oct. 10–12, with free concerts spanning rock, punk, metal and more. Colombia will also host Electric Daisy Carnival in 2026, while Estéreo Picnic has announced Travis Scott, Charli XCX and Sombr among its 2027 headliners. Film & TV: Netflix’s One Hundred Years of Solitude reportedly generated US$162 million in Colombia, and John Leguizamo has joined Colombian cycling documentary Cyclovia as an executive producer. Fashion & Design: Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi received a Hispanic Heritage Award in Madrid, while a Colombian fashion label is making history with a collaboration with the Paris Opera. Arts & Community: Bogotá’s SOFA fair put cosplay in the spotlight, presenting it as a language of belonging.

Live Music: Colombia will host Electric Daisy Carnival in 2026, while Estéreo Picnic has announced Travis Scott, Charli xcx and Sombr among its 2027 headliners. Pop Culture: Bogotá’s SOFA fair is spotlighting cosplay as a shared language of belonging, bringing fans together around fantasy and creative expression. Colombian Screen: Netflix’s One Hundred Years of Solitude has generated an estimated US$162 million in Colombia, underscoring the local reach of the adaptation. Fashion: Designer Silvia Tcherassi received a Hispanic Heritage Award in Madrid for her career; a Colombian fashion brand also made history with a collaboration with the Paris Opera. Music Legacy: Argentine singer-songwriter Piero, whose songs had a strong connection to Colombia, has died at 81. Arts & Community: Colombian dance and culture take the spotlight at NALIS Latin Nights, while filmmaker John Leguizamo has joined Colombian cycling documentary Cyclovia as an executive producer.

Festival Season: Colombia’s first Electric Daisy Carnival opens in Medellín on Oct. 10–11, bringing the global dance festival to the Atanasio Girardot complex. Bogotá’s SOFA fair is also underway, with cosplay, gaming, animation and live performances drawing an expected 200,000 visitors over five days. Big Music News: Estéreo Picnic has revealed its 2027 lineup, led by Travis Scott, Charli xcx, David Guetta, Arcángel and The Prodigy. The Bogotá festival runs March 19–21. Culture Ministry: Minister Paola Holguín acknowledged she does not hold a master’s degree listed in her credentials; Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana said it had published incorrect information and corrected its records. New Music: Colombian singer Ryan Castro joins Mexican star Carín León on “Atte El Insuperable,” a new corrido blending their distinct styles.

Fashion: Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi received a Hispanic Influence Award in Madrid, recognized for bringing Colombian identity to the international fashion stage. Live Music: Bogotá-founded early-music ensemble Música Ficta is taking its Latin American and Spanish Baroque repertoire to South Dakota’s National Music Museum. Latin Music Business: Empire Publishing hired former Rimas Publishing chief Emilio Morales to build songwriter and producer partnerships across the region. Pop Culture: J Balvin and Colombian candy brand Bon Bon Bum are rolling out a special edition in 15 countries, with 55 million units planned. Film: The trailer for The Awakening, a supernatural thriller set in a Colombian jungle, spotlights local actors and the late director Jaime Osorio Márquez. Remembering Piero: The Argentine singer-songwriter, whose songs and peace work resonated strongly in Colombia, died at 81.

Music & Brands: J Balvin has teamed up with Colombian candy icon Bon Bon Bum on a global special edition, with 55 million lollipops planned for 15 countries. Tribute: Argentine singer Piero, whose “Mi Viejo” resonated across Latin America, has died at 81; he celebrated his birthday in Bogotá earlier this year. Live Music: BTS launched its South American tour in Bogotá, playing two shows at El Campín before heading to Peru, where Lima briefly renamed a street BTS Avenue. Colombian Cinema: Simón Mesa Soto’s film A Poet is among the titles in Alternativa Distribution’s new slate, bringing the Colombian feature to international buyers. Fashion & Art: A Colombian fashion label is making history with a collaboration with the Paris Opera, while artist Silvia Peña has won an art award in South Korea.