Photography art for Sale Is it Safe and Legal for Americans to Travel to Cuba?|Photography Art Gallery Neare Me

? Rad A. Drew

For me, Cuba is natural magic!

Since my first trip to Cuba, I?Ve been at least times each 12 months in view that. I?Ve led 14 images tours in that point, sharing with my contributors the locations and people I?Ve come to like.

I simply lower back from leading two photography excursions in January and March of 2019.

With all of the adjustments in journey to Cuba during the Obama and Trump administrations, I?M often asked, ?How is it still possible that you tour to Cuba given the brand new policies of the modern management??

It’s true that travel to Cuba is a constantly moving target, but, it is perfectly legal and safe for Americans to travel to Cuba so long as we follow the guidelines set out by the current administration.

? Rad A. Drew

Here?S the deal.

On November nine, 2017, new current administration regulations that had been announced in June of 2017, began to be carried out. The Office of Foreign Asset Control?S (OFAC) Education/People-to-People designation (that my companies traveled underneath within the beyond) has been eliminated.

I puzzled how (or if) I?D be able to maintain traveling to Cuba for photography and interplay with the Cuban people. The following new OFAC class, ?Support for Cuban People? Is the solution.

US Citizen’s may travel to Cuba if they are part of a group that travels under the OFAC’s “Support for Cuban People” designation, and if they are in the country to provide aid to the private Cuban economy . Our group qualifies for this designation as we do aid in the economy of the private sector by using private homes, private restaurants, and private transportation. We also visit local art galleries, support cultural institutions, such as the Cuban Ballet, and spend money with privately- vs government-owned businesses.

When we travel in 2020, we will travel under the “Support for Cuban People” designation (check-box #8 on the affidavit provided by the airlines). Because we stay in Casas, eat in private restaurants, and in many other ways support the private Cuban economy, we qualify to continue to travel to Cuba to photograph the splendor of her people, cities, and countryside. The official reason for our trip can be described this way: “To aid in the private financial future of Cuba accompanied by an American photographer chronicling the progress of the private economy through photography.”

? Rad A . Drew

This category, "Support for Cuban People," is largely what I?Ve been doing for the beyond several years as my corporations had been:

• Staying in Casas (not government hotels)
• Eating at privately owned (not government) restaurants.
• Engaging with the Cuban people by visiting art galleries, and supporting local artists and photographers,
• Engaging with Cuban people and culture (i.e., engaging with dancers from the National Cuban Ballet, and Cuban boxers in local gyms)
• Engaging people during daily life which we do in the streets every day,
• Visiting the marinas and other local businesses such as cigar factories, appliance repair shops, bicycle repair shops, and much more.

All this stuff qualify beneath the category of ?Support for Cuban People.? Under this class, we require no certified Cuban ?Minder,? So we?Ll be capable of use our favourite guide and driver, and revel in freedom to independently picture and enjoy Cuban people and tradition.

The bottom line is, it's miles perfectly criminal and safe for Americans to travel to Cuba so long as we comply with the guidelines set out with the aid of the cutting-edge administration.

With that said, I hope you’ll consider traveling to Cuba! Whether you choose travel with me (and I hope you do!) or with one of the other great photographers who lead trips to Cuba, it’s important to the Cuban people that you go! Email me if you'd like the names of other photographers I would recommend traveling with. Each of these great photographers and teachers is my friend, and each is experienced at leading groups in Cuba. You can’t go wrong with any of these leaders.

The Cuban economy advantages a lot from US tourism! Our bucks assist actual those who are inclined to work very tough to make sure that we have a amazing revel in and that we learn about them and their united states of america.

? Rad A. Drew

For me the ?Economy? Isn't only a vague time period; it has a face;

• it’s my young guide, Vivian, who speaks 4 languages and recently completed her Master's Degree, and relies on tourism for her livelihood,
• it’s Evan, our driver who supports his family by driving groups of visitors;
• it’s my young friend and painter, Roly, who needs traffic in his art gallery in Old Havana that leads to sales of his art work;
• it’s my friend Carlos and the several staff he employs at his Casa who take care of our needs when we stay with them;
• it’s my friend, Indira, who works at a local paladar that caters to visitors.

These are the reasons I love to tour to Cuba! I hope you may be a part of me on one in all 3 trips within the first region of 2020.

? Rad A. Drew