On the centenary of the birth of Blanca Varela—one of the essential voices in 20th-century Latin American poetry—the Hay Festival Arequipa will pay tribute to her through four sessions dedicated to exploring her life, work, and legacy.
The Hay Festival Arequipa will take place from November 5 to 8, 2026, in the city of Arequipa, just an hour and a half flight from Lima, Peru.
Through discussions on her personal and literary journey, an examination of the biography La vértebra perdida (The Lost Vertebra), and dialogues exploring various poetic approaches, a group of writers, journalists, and researchers will invite the public to rediscover an author whose writing remains vital and enduring.
Journalist and writer Fietta Jarque, author of La vértebra perdida, will play a prominent role in the program.
In this biography, Jarque reconstructs Varela’s life and career—drawing on interviews and published materials—tracing her path from her early years in Lima and her journey to Europe, through her integration into the cultural sphere, to her eventual international acclaim.
The book also addresses complex episodes in her life, such as the death of her son, Lorenzo, and her departure from her position as director of the Fondo de Cultura Económica (Economic Culture Fund).
On Wednesday, November 4, at the Jorge Basadre Grohmann Convention Center in Tacna, Jarque will engage in a conversation with Carlos Capellino Fuentes as part of the event "Blanca Varela: La vértebra perdida" This session—free to the public (subject to capacity)—will offer a deeper look into the poet’s life and literary trajectory, based on Jarque’s biographical research.
On Saturday, November 7, at the theater of the Peruvian-North American Cultural Center in Arequipa, Jarque will join poet Alonso Ruiz Rosas for a discussion titled "Blanca Varela: Poesía desnuda" (Naked poetry) moderated by Dante Trujillo. Various Activities
This activity offers an opportunity to engage with the author’s life and her refined writing style. It explores how an understanding of her personal and professional journey can enrich the reading of her poems—without suggesting that a biography could ever fully encompass every dimension of a writer.
On Sunday, November 8, at the auditorium of the Peruvian-North American Cultural Center, Jarque will take part in a session titled Habitar la fisura (Inhabiting the Fissure), alongside Javier Peña, creator of the podcast "Grandes Infelices".
In conversation with Cecilia Barría, they will examine the figure of Varela, moving beyond the myth of the tormented writer to explore the lucidity, sense of loss, love, and radical honesty present in her work.
That same Sunday, at Casa Tristán del Pozo (BBVA Foundation), an event titled Varela-Ferrer: Ecos de una conversación que nunca ocurrió (Varela-Ferrer: Echoes of a Conversation That Never Happened) will take place.
Ximena López Bustamante and Giovanna Pollarolo, in conversation with Luis Rodríguez Pastor, will bring the works of Blanca Varela and Julia Ferrer into dialogue—two poets who, despite their different modes of expression, both explored the body, language, freedom, and the female experience.
The session is prompted by the recent publication of En la orilla de todos los sueños. Poesía reunida (On the Shore of All Dreams: Collected Poetry") by Ferrer, and serves as an invitation to revisit two foundational voices in 20th-century Peruvian poetry.
Through these activities, Hay Festival Arequipa 2026 joins the commemorations of Blanca Varela’s centenary, offering the public various ways to approach a body of work that continues to invite new readings and interpretations.
These sessions in honor of Blanca Varela are made possible through the sponsorship of the BBVA Foundation and the Embassy of Spain in Peru.
Here are the presentations:
Blanca Varela, la vértebra perdida (The lost vertebra).
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:00 PM
With Fietta Jarque and Carlos Capellino Fuentes. Jorge Basadre Grohmann Convention Center, Tacna.
Free admission, subject to capacity.
Blanca Varela: Poesía desnuda (Naked poetry).
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM.
Featuring Fietta Jarque and Alonso Ruiz Rosas, in conversation with Dante Trujillo.
Peruvian-North American Cultural Center Theater, Arequipa.
Tickets: S/ 15.00.
Habitar la fisura (Inhabiting the Fissure)
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 AM.
Featuring Fietta Jarque and Javier Peña, in conversation with Cecilia Barría.
Peruvian-North American Cultural Center Auditorium, Arequipa.
Tickets: S/ 15.00.
Varela-Ferrer: Ecos de una conversación que nunca ocurrió (Echoes of a Conversation That Never Happened)
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:00 AM.
Featuring Ximena López Bustamante and Giovanna Pollarolo, in conversation with Luis Rodríguez Pastor.
Casa Tristán del Pozo – BBVA Foundation, Arequipa.
Tickets: S/ 15.00.
Where can tickets be purchased?
Events in the General Program for Hay Festival Arequipa 2026 will cost 15 soles, while events held at the Municipal Theater will cost 20 soles.
Tickets may be purchased via the festival website (
www.hayfestival.org/arequipa/inicio) or at the box office of the Arequipa Municipal Theater (Calle Mercaderes 239, in the historic center of Arequipa).
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Publicado: 29/10/2026