About Us
History
1975-1978 – The idea of creating a Mexican American Cultural Center surfaces from a group of artists, students and community activists and begin to approach the City Council with the idea of building the center.
1986 – Austin City Council appoints a Task Force, the Mexican American Cultural Center Task Force, to work on the issue.
1988 – A feasibility study for the project is commissioned by the City and concluded that a facility could built on six acres of City owned land in downtown Austin.
1989 – The Cultural Arts Center is scheduled for the upcoming 1992 bond election ballot but fails with only 47% of the vote.
1997 – The Task Force incorporates as The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts, Inc. as a Texas based 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation.
1997 – The first historical theatrical performance at the Cultural Center takes place, “La Pastorela, A Shepard’s Story”, a Latino Christmas tradition.
1998 – Austin voters approve $10.9 million in bond financing for the Cultural Arts Center in the November bond election.
2000 – CMACA enters into a 50 year lease agreement with the City for $1 per year for the Construction, Management and Operation of the new downtown Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts.
2000 – World renown architect, Teodoro Gonzalez de Leon is selected for the winning design.
2007 – On September 15, 2007 the MACC, Phase 1 opened to the public. The first phase included a multipurpose room with a professional grade kitchen, an art gallery, a community gallery, a plaza, and classroom spaces. Additional construction added a black box theater and more office and classroom space.
Mission
Mission: CMACA is dedicated to preserve, develop, and promote the Mexican American/Latino heritage and culture and to facilitate and encourage a greater appreciation of Mexican American/Latino cultural arts by people of all backgrounds through education, research, and cultural programming.
Vision: To position the Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts, Inc., as a premier Cultural arts organization serving Austin and the Southwest.