Catalogue Number
NMLH.1992.409.12.9
Object Name
Poster
Title
Victor Jara Festival
People
Victor Jara
Events
Chilean Coup
Date
1979
Description
Poster advertising the Victor Jara Festival, 1979.
The poster shows an illustrated image of Victor Jarra superimposed over the shape of South America. Two women are also drawn with their arms raised.
Victor Jara was a Chilean singer-songwriter and communist political activist who was arrested, tortured and murdered by Pinochet's forces following the Chilean Coup in 1973. The contrast between Jara's songs, which focues on peace, hope, and social justice, and the brutality of his torture and murder made him a focal point for activists opposed to Pinochet's regime - often those seeking santuary and refuge in other countries such as the UK.
The Victor Jara festival in 1979 was the "First Competition of Latin-American Song in the U.K." according to the poster. The festival was repeated, and was still running in Wales in 2022.
