New federal laws intended to close borders to would-be terrorists are making life tougher than it already
is for international performing artists and promoters:
Organizers of cultural events in the Bay Area and across the
nation say they're being forced to cancel and change
scheduled acts, squeezing the groups financially and
depriving audiences of seeing acclaimed singers, filmmakers
and other luminaries from foreign countries.Last weekend, the Afro-Cuban All Stars, one of Cuba's most
famous musical acts, was scheduled to perform in Berkeley in
front of sold-out audiences. But the new visa policy
prevented them from entering the United States.Other recent cancellations include the Cuban-Haitian group
Desandan, which was supposed to play at La Pena Cultural
Center in Berkeley; Cuba's Los Van Van, which had been
scheduled to perform at this month's San Francisco Jazz
Festival; Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdes, who couldn't
attend the Latin Grammy Awards in September; and the
Whirling Dervishes of Syria, who had to miss their scheduled
performance at the L.A. World Festival of Sacred Music in
September.
