San Juan — Fundación Cortés will bring together chefs, artists and musicians from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Sunday, May 31, for the third edition of its annual fundraising gala, “Un Banquete de Aquí y de Allá: A Cultural Embrace,” set for 5:00 p.m. at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (MAPR).
This year’s edition coincides with Mother’s Day in the Dominican Republic, a timing the foundation says underscores the family ties and shared identity binding the two Caribbean nations, which have long exchanged roots, flavors, music, language, migration and traditions.
The evening’s centerpiece is a collaborative dining experience conceived by Chef Augusto Schreiner, developed with the Puerto Rican Academy of Gastronomy (APUGA), the Dominican Academy of Gastronomy (ADG) and the MAPR culinary team. The roster of participating chefs includes Dayanny de la Cruz, Saverio Stassi, Juan Peña, Marisoll Hernández, María Grubb, Natalia Vallejo, María Franco, Erika Solórzano, Lorraine Colón and Ricardo de Obaldía, executive chef of Cortés Hermanos. Students from Ana G. Méndez University, led by Chef Patrick Escobar, will serve a selection of tapas during the welcome cocktail.
Beyond the table, the program features an art auction curated by Adlín Ríos Rigau, Walter Otero and Alexis Figueroa, with works by Puerto Rican and Dominican artists. The musical lineup, under the direction of Maestro Ramón Vázquez Martirena, will span salsa and merengue, with performances by Manolito y la Orquesta La Zonika and a special appearance by Dominican icon Conjunto Quisqueya. Actress Cordelia González will return as master of ceremonies.
“This banquet celebrates far more than our cultural richness; it celebrates empathy, human connection, and the power of art to heal and transform lives,” said Adelisa González Lugo, executive director of Fundación Cortés. “Every ticket represents a direct investment in the emotional well-being and holistic development of our children and youth.”
The event drew support from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic offer not only remarkable destinations, but also unique stories and experiences,” said its executive director, Willianette Robles Cancel. “‘Un Banquete de Aquí y de Allá’ celebrates our shared roots and the vision of a united and competitive Caribbean,” she added, noting that the gala also backs cultural education and a culinary sector that employs hundreds of residents across the island.
Proceeds will benefit Educa Cortés: The Art of Wellness and Mental Health, a program that combines art and neuroaesthetics to address cultural deprivation, academic lag and a growing mental-health crisis among Puerto Rican children and youth — a concern the foundation frames as urgent at a time when one in five children on the island faces mental-health-related challenges. A portion of the funds will also support APUGA’s work to promote Puerto Rican gastronomy as cultural heritage and an educational tool.
“Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic share far more than geography; we share a Caribbean sensibility, a history of cultural and human exchange, and a profound spirit of community,” said Ignacio Cortés Gelpí, chairman of the board of Fundación Cortés. “This event is an invitation to celebrate that brotherhood while supporting a transformative cause.”
Since its founding in 2012, Fundación Cortés has delivered free educational, cultural and community programming to more than 26,000 participants, while its exhibition spaces have welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors.
Tickets are available through the PieTix platform at https://pietix.com/un-abrazo-cultural-2026. More information is available at www.fundacioncortes.org.
