The Chicano mural movement began in the 1960s in Mexican-American barrios throughout the Southwest. Artists began using the walls of city buildings, housing projects, schools, and churches to depict Mexican-American culture. Chicano muralism has been linked to pre-Columbian peoples of the Americas, who recorded their rituals and history on the…
Afro-Latin percussion refers to percussive instruments, traditions, rhythms, dances, and musical forms that have given voice, identity, and much inspiration to urban communities across the Americas. In specific countries and regions, local percussive/musical traditions are learned in tandem with the Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean traditions that have come to represent…
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration with indigenous and Catholic roots. Observed on November 1 and 2 each year, the holiday honors deceased friends and family. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars (ofrendas) honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and…
Oaxacan music
The Center for World Music is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to foster awareness and understanding of the world’s performing arts traditions through study abroad programs, teaching, and performance. In 2013, Center for World Music received a grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Programs for Celebrating…
La Peña Cultural Center is a vibrant community cultural center with a national reputation and a global vision that promotes peace, social justice, and cultural understanding through the arts, education, and social action. As a welcoming gathering place, La Peña provides opportunities for artists to share…
In 1999, around 20 people native of San Pablo Tijaltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, arrived in Taft, California (a small community in the southeastern part of Kern County). As it happens in many other places, more people from the same community continued to settle in Taft. Now over a decade later, there…
Oaxacan arts and culture
Plaza de la Raza Cultural Center for the Arts & Education is the only multidisciplinary community arts venue dedicated to serving the Eastside neighborhoods of Los Angeles, including Boyle Heights. Founded in 1970 by prominent labor, business and civic leaders as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, it…
Founded in 1973, Self Help Graphics & Arts (SHG) is the leading nonprofit visual arts center serving the predominantly Latino community of Los Angeles. SHG’s mission is to develp and nuture Latino artists in printmaking. SHG seeks to advance Latino art broadly through programming, exhibitions, and outreach…
