Santo Domingo.— The Dominican Academy of Art and Entertainment (ADOPAE) swore in its new Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 period, led by journalist and writer Fausto Polanco, during a ceremony held at the Catalonia hotel, which was attended by representatives from the country’s political, business, artistic, and journalistic sectors.
The swearing-in ceremony was led by art chronicler Estuardo Arias, the institution’s longest-serving member, who urged the new directors to assume with responsibility the commitment to continue strengthening the academy and consolidating its role within the Dominican cultural and communicational sphere.
Upon assuming the presidency, Polanco thanked the members of ADOPAE for the trust placed in him and stated that he accepts the responsibility with humility and awareness of the legacy built by previous administrations. He noted that his administration, over the next two years, will be focused on strengthening the work initiated by Severo Rivera and his team.
Continuous training will be one of the main pillars of the new management. Polanco announced the holding of workshops, conferences, and meetings on artificial intelligence, cultural journalism, SEO, Google Discover, fact-checking, audiovisual production, podcasts, and new digital narratives, with the purpose of preparing professionals for the transformations that communication is undergoing.
“Our management will be oriented towards making ADOPAE an academy that is closer to its members, more influential, and prepared to respond to the challenges of the present,” expressed Polanco, who also highlighted the need for the institution to lead the processes of adaptation to new technologies and leverage digital tools to expand its reach.
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Among the main projects announced is ADOPAE Multimedia, a platform that would integrate several digital media, including ADOPAE Radio, ADOPAE TV, and a digital newspaper. According to Polanco, these spaces will serve as support for members who wish to develop their own content and programs, both in arts and entertainment and in areas such as politics, sports, economy, health, and technology, under criteria of ethics and informational reliability.
The new board also intends to strengthen the agreement signed with the Dominican Association of Broadcasters (ADORA), presided over by Rosa Olga Medrano. As part of this collaboration, ADOPAE plans to celebrate Merengue Week, from November 20 to 26, with an agenda dedicated to composers, producers, musicians, managers, and singers linked to the different facets of the Dominican genre.
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Likewise, the academy will continue working together with collective management institutions such as the Dominican General Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers (SGACEDOM) and the Dominican Society of Performing Artists and Musicians (SADAIE). It was also announced that a congress on cultural journalism in the age of artificial intelligence will be organized, coordinated by Alfonso Quiñones, José Antonio Aybar, and José Tejada Gómez, which will feature national and international specialists.
Rivera highlights progress of his administration
During the event, the outgoing president, Severo Rivera, presented a summary of his administration and recalled the origins of ADOPAE, an initiative that began to take shape during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a group of journalists specializing in art and entertainment decided to turn the difficulties of that period into an opportunity to create their own academic institution.
Rivera maintained that the creation of ADOPAE responded to a historical need of Dominican cultural journalism, because for decades specialized journalists accompanied the growth of music, theater, cinema, television, and other cultural manifestations, without having an academy specifically dedicated to promoting their training, professional development, and ethical principles.
He also highlighted the role of the late journalist Feliz Vinicio Lora, president ad vitam of the institution and responsible for the name ADOPAE, as well as the cooperation agreements reached during his tenure with various entities linked to the cultural industry.
Among those alliances, he cited SGACEDOM, SADAIE, the Dominican Association of Film Industry Professionals (ACCINE RD), the General Directorate of Cinema (DGCINE), and ADORA. As he explained, these agreements will allow for the development of training programs, joint projects, and initiatives that benefit both the members of the academy and the Dominican cultural industry.
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Rivera also highlighted the holding of meetings, conferences, and training workshops, as well as the recognition of figures whose careers have contributed to the country’s art, culture, communication, and entertainment.
As part of the projects set in motion for the new stage, he mentioned the creation of an award intended to recognize excellence, creativity, and talent within the artistic and cultural sphere, with the aspiration that it becomes an award characterized by transparency, credibility, and rigor.
The second project consists of a recognition of the trajectory of figures, initiatives, and institutions linked to the creative industry, with the aim of preserving the memory of great protagonists of art and entertainment, highlighting institutions that have contributed to cultural development, and recognizing ADOPAE members for their contributions to the academy.
New directive
The ADOPAE Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 period is composed of Fausto Polanco, president; José Antonio Aybar, first vice president; Ricardo Rodríguez Rosa, second vice president; Cristina Liriano, secretary general; and Alfonso Quiñones, secretary of Finance.
Completing the board are Rosmery Martínez, in charge of International Affairs; Ramón Almánzar, of Interinstitutional Affairs; Ynmaculada Cruz, of Public Relations; Napoleón Beras, of Education and Professional Training; Muriel Soriano, of Technology and Digital Platforms; Rafael Padilla, of Events and Protocol; and Yenny Polanco Lovera, executive director.
The Ethics Commission was chaired by Estuardo Arias, with Abel Rojas as secretary, and also composed of Reyes Guzmán, Miguelina Terrero, and Fior D’Aliza Taveras.
With this new stage, ADOPAE is committed to expanding its institutional presence, strengthening the training of its members, and responding to the technological changes that are transforming the practice of cultural journalism and the Dominican creative industry.
