Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.— Aridio Castillo knows closely the road that leads to the big night of Premios Soberano. Long before the lights come on, the red carpet is rolled out, the artists arrive and the statuettes are presented, there is a less visible process that begins around a table, when entertainment journalists start reviewing what happened throughout the year and placing names and careers under evaluation.
That process has already begun.
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From the studio of La Verdad de Aridio, the veteran Dominican journalist reported that the Association of Art Critics, known as Acroarte, has begun its evaluation meetings for the 43rd edition of Premios Soberano, scheduled for next year. The awards in the Dominican Republic are traditionally held in March. The 2026 edition, for example, took place on March 18, and the 2027 ceremony has already been announced for March 17.
Castillo spoke about this stage with the enthusiasm of someone who does not observe the awards from a distance. As a member of Acroarte, he is part of an institution he described with pride and to which he said he remains committed to continuing to contribute.
“Acroarte has already begun its evaluations for the 43rd edition of Premios Soberano, which is coming next year,” he explained as he described how affiliated entertainment journalists are beginning to take part in the process.
But amid his comments about the evaluations, Castillo had a revelation to share.
“Ladies and gentlemen, a secret,” he teased.
Then he took the story far beyond Santo Domingo.
According to the journalist, there is interest from Mexico in broadcasting Premios Soberano. For Castillo, that possibility is a sign of how far an awards ceremony created to recognize Dominican talent has come, gradually finding audiences beyond the country’s borders.
“Mexico is becoming interested in having Premios Soberano broadcast there as well,” he said.
The international reach did not begin there. Castillo recalled that Univision has been marketing the broadcast of the awards in the United States and said there has been satisfaction with the results. That presence has allowed a significant portion of the Dominican diaspora to follow a ceremony deeply connected to the culture and entertainment of their homeland.
For Premios Soberano, that connection carries special meaning. Its recognition is not limited to those who develop their careers within the Dominican Republic. It also extends to Dominican artists based abroad, many of whom have built significant parts of their careers in other cities and on stages far from home.
Castillo has witnessed that transformation from one of the privileged vantage points of Dominican entertainment: the journalism that follows its leading figures day after day.
Through La Verdad de Aridio, he has maintained a constant presence in entertainment journalism, following careers, controversies, successes and changes within an industry that, for decades, has also been part of his own professional story.
Acroarte occupies a central place in that journey. The Association of Art Critics brings together journalists specializing in arts and entertainment and is responsible for Premios Soberano, whose history dates back to 1985. Since then, the ceremony has accompanied generations of artists and become one of the leading showcases for Dominican talent.
Now another cycle begins.
The nominations are still to come. So are the names that will spark celebrations, debates and expectations. And still ahead is the night when the artists will once again gather before the cameras to discover who will take home the statuettes.
But the road to the 43rd edition has already begun.
And as Acroarte’s journalists once again sit down to evaluate a year of music, television, communications and entertainment, Aridio Castillo has placed on the table a possibility that could expand the awards’ reach.
Premios Soberano will once again be produced in the Dominican Republic. This time, however, Castillo is watching as its lights begin to attract the attention of an audience far beyond Santo Domingo.
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