The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center is currently closed to the public, but the good news is, many of our programs have moved digital! Please use this page as a guide to our digital resources, which are free to use for anyone who wants to learn more about Mexican-American and Latinx art & culture.
You'll find lesson plans, performances, presentations, online art galleries, instructional videos, and more, and this page is updated monthly! Check out our Signature Events for Latinx Heritage Month 2020, such as Viva Mexico (VivaMexico2020.net) and Day of the Dead (DayoftheDeadATX.net).
For even more access to MACC programming, remember to follow us on Facebook at @AustinESBMACC and Instagram at @ESBMACC. Questions? email maccevents@austintexas.gov and if you can, leave us some feedback below!
Table of Contents
- 21/ Veintiuno by Ender Martos, digital exhibit and installation Feb-March 2021
- Day of the Dead- Digital Festival to celebrate Dia de Muertos on Nov 1 & 2, 2020
- Viva Mexico- A Celebration of Mexican Independence and Latinx Heritage
- Desde La Sala- A Virtual Concert Series featuring Latinx Artists
- Exhibit: XX Timeline at the Crossroads XX by Diana Molina
- Spanglish Series-Interviews with Local Creatives by El Proyecto
- Latino Artist Access Program (LAAP)- Music, Dance, Theater, and much more!
- Vamonos! Produced and Presented by the Caminos Teens
- Sugar Skull Making- Video Instructions for Day of the Dead crafts
- Lesson Plan: Lowriders- All About Chicano Lowrider Culture
- Lesson Plan: Alebrijes "Uprooted Dreams"- Project & Lesson Plan
- Lesson Plan: La Selva/ The Rainforest
- Exhibit: Textile Poetics: Textile Art by Mery Godigna-Collet & Others
- Exhibit: Piecing it Together: Grafitti Art by Nathan "Sloke" Nordstrom
- Exhibit: Chingonx Fire by April Garcia
- Virtual Tour of the MACC- Learn the History and Architecture of the MACC
- Lesson: Coloring Book, An Empowered Village and Its Citizens
- Lesson Plan: Borderland Wildlife The Environment of the US-Mexico Border
- Community Healing Garden Learn About Healing Plants in Our On-Site Garden!
- Stay Creative: Collection of 16 Lesson Plans for Youth 5-12
- Figuralo: 2020 Youth Exhibit in collaboration with the Smithsonian Learning Lab! (FB EVENT)
- Arts Responders: Art as Social Practice
- La Mujer: 2021 Virtual Celebration of Womxn on April 21st-24th
- Breaking Barriers: Latinx Youth Conference on April 10th
Now let's get started...
La Mujer 2021
A Virtual Celebration of Womxn
"La Mujer" is our annual celebration of womxn in the arts, presented by the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center. In its 10th year, this festival was originally inspired by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, who is considered the first feminist of the Americas. This year we are highlighting the accomplishments of mujeres, of womxn, in Austin who inspire us. This multi-disciplinary digital festival will span several days, including a film screening by Cine De Las Americas, panel discussions hosted by Chingona Fest Texas & Latino Studies at UT, a virtual exhibit curated by The Projecto’s Coka Treviño -- PLUS a stellar lineup of musicians, poets, painters, sculptors, visual artists. Join us to honor and elevate Latinx womxn. The event is FREE to watch on the MACC's social media channels.
Breaking Barriers
A Latinx Youth Conference
This is a cool opportunity to meet teens your age and share ideas about how best to take care of yourself and your community, access your mental wellness, and celebrate cultural identity. We invite you to help us unlock the question: what is mental health/wellness?
We will explore how to best deal with your emotions during the COVID pandemic and what it means to us. In this event you can expect activities packed with fun and powerful connections. You can see the power you have and how to help others through activities of wellness, conversation, expression with no judgement from teens like you so definitely join us and break those barriers with us! Any teen can benefit from this event, especially Latinx teens and young people of color.
If you have felt small, come here and feel strong! Remember, we’re not minorities, we’re just minoritized! While our event does center and surround the Latinx experience of well-being and mental health struggles, we welcome everyone and think all people could benefit from some time to check in with themselves, their bodies, and focus on their mental health.
Day of the Dead - Dia de Los Muertos -
This celebration of the circle of life and death has been a tradition at the ESB-MACC for over a decade. YOU can participate!
Visit:
- Sugar Skull Making
- Calavera Contest
- Altar/ Ofrenda Building
- Makeup Tutorials
- Live Program on Nov 1 & 2 at DAYOFTHEDEADATX.NET
Viva Mexico!
A celebration of Mexican Independence and Latinx Heritage Month. This digital festival aired to the public on Sept 16, 2020 and the full program is free and available to watch!
- Celebration of Austin's Latinx Community
- Ballet Folklorico Performances
- "Gritos" (Cries) from City of Austin and Community Members
- Mexican Consulate gives the Grito
- Make a Flag of the People Activity
- Cook Chiles en Nogada with Sonia
- Mexican National Anthem with Salma
Desde La Sala Virtual Concert Series
During each episode, we will be premiering 4 different performances by some of our favorite artists, from their living room to yours -- FOR FREE!!!
Like and follow the ESB MACC’s Facebook as well as the City of Austin’s Parks & Recreation YouTube so you will be notified!
Diana Molina, Visual Artist in Residence
Diana Molina is an exhibiting artist and curator at the ESB Mexican American Cultural Center for Fall 2020. View her online exhibit on the Smithsonian Learning Lab!
Artist and author Diana Molina presents her book, Icons and Symbols of the Borderland: Art from the US-Mexico Crossroads as part of her retrospective exhibition at the MACC. This collection of artwork, poetry, and essays combine tradition, culture, history, and nature in a variety of subjects and themes that touch on everything from the religious and mythological to the commercial and socio-political.
Spanglish Series
This digital series on Thursdays with El Projecto ATX interviews artists and creatives in our community. The next event is Thursday, Oct 1 with Michael Anthony Garcia! RSVP now!
Latino Artist Access Program
Explore these Austin-based artists who are part of the MACC's Latino Artist Access Program (LAAP):
- A'lante Flamenco Ensemble
- Bilingual Club Communities of Austin (BoCCA)
- Chamacos Dance Company
- Edgar Yepez
- Erica Saucedo!
- Escándalo! Improv
- Fisterra
- Javier Jara
- Mauricio Callejas
- Monique Dacheff
- Proyecto Teatro
- Teatro Vivo
Day of the Dead / Sugar Skulls
Sugar Skulls or Calaveras de Azucar are an offering placed on the ofrenda, or altars, for Day of the Dead. In Mexico, this celebration of life and death occurs Oct 31-Nov 2, and invites the memory of the deceased to visit the living. One way that families honor their ancestors is to place calaveras, or skulls, in various forms and this cheerful imagery even in a sweet treat reminds us of the sweetness of life.
For Kids/ Teachers:
LA SELVA: LUNGS OF THE EARTH
La Selva: The Lungs of The Earth virtual activity will aid in the awareness of socially relevant causes that occur in Latin American Rainforests. Learn about deforestation through a Sloth Craftivity, and teach the ways planting trees can heal the environment
Virtual Tour of the MACC
Learn about the history of the MACC and outdoor sculptures as well as a few fun facts about the MACC! Then take a deep dive tour of the MACC on the Smithsonian Learning Lab! For all ages, this can be used like a virtual field trip and combined with other MACC programs.
Stay Creative!
The Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) as part of the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department, offered a free Arts and Culture Summer Discovery Online Program in July 2020; an exciting exploration of the arts, culture and nature. The curriculum is for children 5 to 12 years of age. A new and exciting theme is presented in each lesson with programmed activities provided by professional instructors.
This program provides enjoyable and uplifting recreational programming for children based on the cultural traditions of Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latinx communities. There are a total of 16 video lessons total to watch and share below!
Figuralo Youth Exhibit
The ESB-MACC in affiliation with the Smithsonian Institute are proud to present the 2020 Figuralo, Youth Exhibit. Figuralo 2020 showcases the exploration of artistic mediums through figurines, figurative images and figurative narratives. Figuralo 2020 will go digital this year, and all works will be exhibited on the Smithsonian Learning Lab (SLL).
For questions or to submit an artwork, please contact Lori Navarrete, Culture & Arts Education Specialist at lori.navarrete@austintexas.gov.
Learn more about Figuralo!
Arts Responders
ArtsResponders: Social Practice Responds to COVID-19. Two Artists, the band Guateque Son and Muralist J Musacz will train in Social Practice, to organize and engage community in an artistic response to cope with and overcome COVID-19.
The program will run October 5 to March 31, 2020.
We want to hear from you! Please give us your feedback below!
Credits:
Created with images by Theodor Vasile - "'62 Impala | Modified by Tomas Vazquez between 2013 to 2018" • Deb Dowd - "Sloth" Photos by Ulises Garcia