THE eighth biannual festival of Latin American music, politics, song, dance, film, poetry, and more commemorating Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara comes to venues at Machynlleth, as the El Sueno Existe weekend gets under way next Friday, August 16.

Translating as 'The Dream Lives On', this year’s key themes are: Mexico on the way to a fairer society? and Women of Latin America, the fight for gender equality, reproductive rights etc.

Founded in 2005, the three day festival brings to Machynlleth Latin American musicians, singers, poets, dancers, visual artists, campaigners, academics, journalists and film makers creating a wonderfully heady brew of concerts and workshop debates, films and poetry, games and education, festival fun and the demand for a better, greener world!

El Sueño Existe is a melting pot of multiculturalism in the heart of Mid Wales, where Spanish as well as English and Welsh (and a smattering of Brazilian Portuguese) are the languages of the weekend.

Music will feature Seize the Day, Chilean fusion band Quimantu, salsa dance band Quijada, from Cornwall, The Society of Imaginary Friends, Alex Etchart, Meinir Gwilym, Valentina Montoya and many more.

A full family programme of fun with some education thrown in makes it a weekend to remember for the younger festival goers.

El Sueño Existe attracts around 500 people, whether locals and tourists looking for something a bit different, or Latin America exiles and supporters living throughout the UK to share a weekend in commemoration of Chilean singer Victor Jara, murdered in 1973 shortly after the military coup in Chile.

All details of the 2019 line up and other aspects of the festival are at www.elsuenoexiste.com