News & Events
PRESS RELEASE
October 15, 2016
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
CMACA and ESB-MACC Partner for a Fifth Year on Día de los Muertos Celebration
The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA) is happy to announce plans to collaborate with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (the MACC), to present the Día del los Muertos Mercado Festival, October 29, 1 p.m.–6 p.m. at the ESB-MACC, 600 River Street, Austin, TX 78701.
“We’re excited to be working with the MACC,” says Cathy Vasquez-Revilla, CMACA vice president. “While the cultural center is not complete, there are two more phases left to build. Bringing culturally relevant programming to the Latino community is the culmination of many years of work and perseverance.”
The event celebrates the indigenous holiday, also known as the Christian All Souls Day, where family members remember their dearly departed. Festival activities begin at 2 p.m. with the opening of the Mercado featuring local artists, artisans, crafters, and more, who will sell their wares. From 1:30–2:00, Ballet East folklorico group will perform and 5:30–6 p.m. Son Armado.
“This is part of our mission, to provide a venue for Latino artists who may not have that opportunity, and to showcase our Latino organizations and performers to help grow their audiences,” adds Vasquez-Revilla. “On this day, we continue to find ways to connect the ESB-MACC to the Latino community.”
Family activities start at 1 p.m. featuring face painting, mask making, sugar skull decorating, and community altar building. There may be a small fee to cover the cost of materials.
Food vendors will be onsite, as well as a costume competition, custom car and bicycle show. In case of rain, all activities will take place inside or under cover of the building.
“It is because of Austin’s rich Latino community that celebrations like Día de los Muertos have become an important and inspiring tradition,” says ESB-MACC executive director Herlinda Zamora. “Día de los Muertos takes us back to our roots and gives us a sense of pride about our history.”
PRESS RELEASE
October 30, 2014
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
CMACA and ESB-MACC Partner for a Fourth Year on Día de los Muertos Celebration
The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA) is happy to announce plans to collaborate with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (the MACC), to present the Día del los Muertos Mercado Festival, October 24, 2 p.m.–7 p.m. at the ESB-MACC, 600 River Street, Austin, TX 78701.
“We’re excited to be working with the MACC,” says Cathy Vasquez-Revilla, CMACA vice president. “While the cultural center is not complete, there are two more phases left to build. Bringing culturally relevant programming to the Latino community is the culmination of many years of work and perseverance.”
The event celebrates the indigenous holiday, also known as the Christian All Souls Day, where family members remember their dearly departed. Festival activities begin at 2 p.m. with the opening of the Mercado featuring local artists, artisans, crafters, and more, who will sell their wares. From 2:30–3:00, Ballet East folklorico group will perform, 2:30–3 p.m. Son Armado, and 3:30–4 p.m. Aztlan Dance Company.
“This is part of our mission, to provide a venue for Latino artists who may not have that opportunity, and to showcase our Latino organizations and performers to help grow their audiences,” adds Vasquez-Revilla. “On this day, we continue to find ways to connect the ESB-MACC to the Latino community.”
Family activities start at 2 p.m. featuring face painting, mask making, sugar skull decorating, and community altar building. There may be a small fee to cover the cost of materials.
Food venders will be onsite, as well as a costume competition, custom car and bicycle show. In case of rain, all activities will take place inside or under cover of the building.
“It is because of Austin’s rich Latino community that celebrations like Día de los Muertos have become an important and inspiring tradition,” says ESB-MACC executive director Herlinda Zamora. “Día de los Muertos takes us back to our roots and gives us a sense of pride about our history.”
PRESS RELEASE
October 30, 2014
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
CMACA and ESB-MACC Partner for a Third Year on Día de los Muertos Celebration
The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA) is happy to announce plans to collaborate with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (the MACC), to present the Día del los Muertos Mercado Festival, November 1, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. at the ESB-MACC, 600 River Street, Austin, TX 78701.
“We’re excited to be working with the MACC,” says Cathy Vasquez-Revilla, CMACA vice president. “While the cultural center is not complete, there are two more phases left to build. Bringing culturally relevant programming to the Latino community is the culmination of many years of work and perseverance.”
The event celebrates the indigenous holiday, also known as the Christian All Souls Day, where family members remember their dearly departed. Festival activities begin at 2 p.m. with the opening of the Mercado featuring local artists, artisans, crafters, and more, who will sell their wares. From 2:30–3:00, Ballet East children’s folklorico group will perform, and from 3-3:30 Son Armado.
Family activities start at 4 p.m. featuring face painting, mask making, sugar skull decorating, and community altar building. There may be a small fee to cover the cost of materials.
Food venders will be onsite, as well as live performances by Danza Azteca Chichimeca, Trampia, Brass Band with Felipe Borrero, and La Romdalla de Austin.
“It is because of Austin’s rich Latino community that celebrations like Día de los Muertos have become an important and inspiring tradition,” says ESB-MACC executive director Herlinda Zamora. “Día de los Muertos takes us back to our roots and gives us a sense of pride about our history.”
PRESS RELEASE
October 30, 2013
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
Día de los Muertos Mercado Festival
Austin, TX—The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA), Inc. will collaborate with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC), 600 River Street, for the second annual Día de los Muertos Mercado Festival, November 2, 1–6 p.m.
The ESB-MACC had hosted a Día de los Muertos celebration since the opening in 2007, offering a family friendly event with food, music, a costume contest, and low-cost children’s activities like face painting and sugar skull decorating. CMACA signed up last year to add two new components—free children’s art workshops and a Mercado featuring local artists and artisans.
“Día de los Muertos is a meaningful event for both the ESB-MACC and CMACA because it not only honors and recognizes those that have passed away but it brings communities together,” shares Herlinda Zamora, ESB-MACC director. “It’s a tradition that fosters family participation, creativity and spirit.”
During the two-hour workshops, children will work with artists in four disciplines—dance, visual arts, theater, and music—to craft a performance in one day and presented at 3 p.m.
The event and workshops are free. The ESB-MACC children’s activities range in price, $1–$3. Parking, while it lasts, at the ESB-MACC will also be free.
“As the non-profit originally contracted by the city during the planning stage of the ESB-MACC to be liaisons between the city and the community, we find working with the ESB-MACC for Día de los Muertos natural and organic,” says CMACA president, Valerie Menard. “Per our mission to promote Mexican American art and culture, we added the free children’s workshops to expose the children to well-established Latino artists and organizations and to give greater visibility to the groups for audience building. The Mercado creates an economic opportunity for individual artists and artisans by providing a venue for them to sell their wares.”
CMACA would like to recognize its sponsors that helped underwrite this event: Chevrolet, Ford Motor Company, El Milagro, Salazar and Associates, Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, Congressman Lloyd Doggett and Perry Lorenz.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2013
For more information contact:
Valerie Menard (512) 926-1369
CMACA invites Latino artists, arts organizations to post events on their site
Information Session to be held September 30 at Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center
Recognizing the value that the Internet has as a marketing tool, the Center for Mexican-American Cultural Arts (CMACA) will expand its website, www.austinmacc.com, to allow artists and arts organizations to post events featured in the Austin community. CMACA will debut the website’s new functionality, September 30, 7-8 p.m. at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC), 600 River Street. CMACA invites Latino artists and arts organizations to attend a presentation at the debut that will demonstrate the site’s new functionality and provide a tutorial for artists to login to the content management system and post events. Funded in part by a grant from the City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Office Cultural Expansion Program, the presentation also includes light refreshments and parking passes will be available.
The idea of creating a Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) surfaced in 1975 from a group of artists, students and community activists who approached the City Council with the idea of building the center but it wasn’t until 1986 that the Austin City Council appointed a task force, the Mexican American Cultural Center Task Force, to work on the issue. A bond election in 1998 resulted in Austin voters approving $10.9 million for the MACC. The first phase opened in 2007 but two more pyramids are planned to include a theater and performing arts center. With one phase of the center built, CMACA continues to advocate for its completion.
About CMACA
In 1997, CMACA was founded as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and was shortly contracted by the city to work with the community, city council, and city staff to develop Austin’s first MACC, now known as the ESB-MACC. CMACA is dedicated to preserving, developing, and promoting Mexican American/Latino heritage and culture and to facilitating and encouraging a greater appreciation of Mexican American/Latino cultural arts by people of all backgrounds through education, research, and cultural programming. The vision of the Center is to position the Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts, Inc., as a premier Cultural arts organization serving Austin and the Southwest.
-30-
PRESS RELEASE
October 6, 2011
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
Serape/Sarape Weaving Project Celebrates Ten Years
Austin, TX—In its tenth year, the Serape/Sarape Weaving Project returns to the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, October 19–20. Presented by the Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA), Inc., historian Reynaldo RodrIguez returns to conduct an oral presentation on the history of the serape, the national symbol of Mexico. Master weaver José Francisco Baez Padron, from Saltillo, Mexico, conducts the weaving demonstration.
In 2003, CMACA purchased a loom made by the late master weaver Don Pablo Flores Gonzalez from Saltillo. The organization plans to donate the loom to the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin once additional exhibit and classroom space has been built.
Hoping to encourage an interest in weaving among children, the Serape/Sarape Weaving Project took place at Zavala and at Sanchez Elementary schools. Last year, the presentation moved to the MACC. This year, it returns, with one evening presentation, 6–7 p.m. on October 19, and three, 50-minute morning presentations, 9–noon, Oct. 19–20. Presentations are free and open to the public but seating is limited so please call (512) 926-1369 to reserve a seat or reserve a scheduled presentation for school children.
Weaver Alejandrina Cortines demonstrates weaving to children at Sanchez Elementary.
“This project enhances the weaving learning the students have received through our art program as well as cultural knowledge that they are able to implement in different classroom settings,” comments Azucena Garcia, Sanchez Elementary principal. “This experience is one that we would not be able to share with our students and are grateful that CMACA includes Sanchez Elementary.”
The event as well as information about the serape is included on www.austinmacc.com, the website launched by CMACA in 2004. The website also includes a calendar of events, artist profiles, and links to other Latino arts groups in Austin.
“We can learn much from Mexico about the care and concern we must have when it comes to the arts, ” says Valerie Menard, CMACA president. “From cave paintings to serapes, much of our cultural history has been recorded and maintained by artists and CMACA is committed to supporting this effort.”
Due to funding cuts from the City of Austin, this year’s presentation takes place solely with the help of our sponsors: AT&T, Chevrolet, LCRA United Charities, El Milagro, Judge Sam Biscoe, Commissioner Ron Davis, and Perry Lorenz.
This student from Zavala Elementary models a serape from Saltillo, Mexico.
###
PRESS RELEASE May 3, 2004
Contact: Valerie Menard
(512) 926-1369
Serape/Sarape Weaving Project Returns to Austin
Austin, TX—The Center for Mexican American Cultural Arts (CMACA), Inc., announces the fourth annual Saltillo on Cinco cultural festival featuring the Serape/Sarape Weaving Project, May 6–7. CMACA has invited historian Reynaldo RodrIguez to return for the third consecutive year to conduct the oral presentation as well as Janette Pamanes, a weaver based in Saltillo, to conduct the weaving demonstration.
In 2003 CMACA purchased a loom made by the late master weaver Don Pablo Flores Gonzalez in Saltillo, Mexico. The organization hopes to donate the loom to the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin once it’s built. Ms. Pamanes will conduct the demonstration on this loom.
Traditionally, Saltillo on Cinco took place at Sanchez Elementary, 73 San Marcos. This year a second school will be added, Zavala Elementary, 310 Robert Martinez. There will be three, 45-minute demonstrations per day beginning at 9:15 a.m. and ending at 12 noon. The demonstrations held at Zavala Elementary take place on May 6 while those performed at Sanchez take place May 7.
Both events will be recorded digitally. The event as well as information about the serape will be included on a website that will be launched by CMACA in September. The website will also include information, a calendar of events, and links to other Latino arts groups in Austin.
“We can learn much from Mexico about the care and concern we must have when it comes to the arts, ” said Melvin Wrenn, CMACA president. “From cave paintings to serapes, much of our cultural history has been recorded and maintained by artists and CMACA is committed to supporting this effort.”
For more information contact Valerie Menard at (512) 926-1369.