LA VIDA ARTISTA

Mexic-Arte Museum, founded in 1984 by Austin artists Sylvia Orozco, Sam Coronado, and Pio Pulido, is dedicated to the presentation and promotion of Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture. Designated by the state’s 78th legislature as the Official Mexican and Mexican American Fine Art Museum of Texas, Mexic-Arte began its exhibition schedule with the Day of the Dead Festival in 1984. Since then, it has built upon a diverse series of programs and presentations to introduce the best of the emerging artists of the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America to the art scene in Austin. The Museum’s “Changarrito,” inspired by art vending carts of Mexico, feature a changing roster of artists-in-residence who engage the public with a diversity of works embracing multiple styles and themes. The Museum maintains a permanent collection as well, drawing from an archive of collected works to organize exhibitions around particular themes throughout the year. Education is an important aspect of the Museum’s mission, implemented by programs such as Screen It!, designed to introduce underserved students between the ages of 10 and 17 to the art of screen printing as a tactile avenue to creative expression. Teacher Workshops, free Family Days, downloadable gallery guides, and gallery tours are also all part of the Museum’s public programs.