HAVANA, May 7, 2018 (Reuters) — A group of Cuban artists launched an alternative arts festival this weekend in Havana in response to the Communist government saying it was postponing the official biennial by a year to prioritise funding on rebuilding after Hurricane Irma. The artists had been indignant at the delay of the state-run arts extravaganza, which typically takes over Havana for a month and allows them to showcase their art to international collectors, galleries and curators. They said they felt the decision to postpone it to 2019 had to do with the political transition this year and a fear of anything that could cause instability. Cuba named a new president last month, Miguel Diaz-Canel, to replace Raul Castro. While the "00Biennial" which runs for 10 days until May 15 does not have the scope of the official one, it is offering an unusual independent platform for artists in a country where the state dominates all aspects of society. Photo shows Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara (2nd from right), organiser of the ‘00Biennial', speaks during its opening in Havana, Cuba on May 5, 2018.
