Miembros Newsletter: May 2026

A Message from the Director

Spring Ends with a Flowering of Programs in Downtown Austin

The spring was filled with art, heritage, culture and traditions and ended with the festive celebration of Cinco de Mayo. We all know that the 5^th of May is not Mexican Independence Day. On May 5, 1862, one hundred and sixty-four years ago, General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the invading French army in Puebla, Mexico. Ignacio Zaragoza was born about 90 miles from Austin in Goliad, Texas, which was a part of Coahuila at that time. 

The Cinco de Mayo victory was a glorious moment for Mexico, developing sense of national unity. Since 1862, Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated in Mexico, Latin America and in the United States. In 1886, Lino Torres and Emile Tarratas organized the first recorded Cinco de Mayo celebration in Austin, at Republic Square as we know today. It is very significant that this event is once again at the place that was once Mexican Park—Guadalupe Park, an area that was the center of the Mexican American community in Austin.

The Cinco de Mayo Festival is another wonderful occasion to bring a noteworthy historical date to the public’s attention through art, music, performance and fun in the park. To make this day and the festival more special, Mexic-Arte Museum welcomed guests from Saltillo, Coahuila, representing the Saltillo Austin Sister Cities Association to Austin. 

The festival, held on Saturday, May 2, started with accordion music by Rebecca Jane. Next, dancers from Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklorico performed the traditional China Poblana Dance to the song, composed by Pepe Guízar. Consul General of Mexico Humberto Hernández Haddad reminded the public of the history of the Cinco de Mayo battle that took place in Puebla, Mexico. Council Member José “Chito” Vela joined in welcoming Gabriela Montemayor, Ciudades Hermanas Saltillo Austin, and the guests from Saltillo, Coahuila. Throughout the day, the public enjoyed music and dance by Mi Trova, Cuitláhuac Ortiz, Children’s Guitar Group; the Ballet Folklórico de Austin, Edgar Yepez, Director; La China Poblana Traditional Dress Contest accompanied by the Chavez Family; French music by des Amis; the Soundwaves Mariachi; and Estilo Peruano. Activities included a pan walk, screen printing of talavera tiles provided by Clay Imports, educational banner exhibits, open air painting, mole demonstration, artesania de Puebla, Dr. Simi activation, and traditional food and beverages.

Thank you to the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation and the City of Austin Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME), Siete Foods, Brown Distributing, and Dr. Simi for the support to continue this heritage festival for all of Austin and our visitors. 

On Tuesday, May 5, Mexic-Arte Museum also presented the 4^th annual Cinco de Mayo Luncheon at the Thompson Hotel. The event celebrates the Museum, the 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District as well as provides information about the holiday. Guests enjoyed music by Mariachi Chavez, silent auction, an informative talk, delicious food and camaraderie. Attendees included members of the Saldaña, Arriaga-Gonzales and Zamarripa Mexican American Legacy Families, honorary guests Consul General Humberto Hernandez Haddad, Adriana Menchaca and Rep. Lulu Flores, District #51. Rep. Lulu Flores, District #51, spoke about the importance of cultural districts in Texas. The guest speaker was Dr. Raúl A. Ramos, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History, Director, Center for Arts and Humanities at the University of Houston. Dr. Ramos’ lecture, As American as a Rodeo: Connecting the History of Cinco de Mayo, provided new insights into the reasons why the Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated in the US since the late 1860s. Guests also played the Cinco de Mayo Loteria. This year, Sophia Oliver designed several of the icons focusing on the state of Puebla. Spring semester interns, Jacqueline Nakazono, Development Intern, and Sophia Oliver, Graphic Design Intern, led the lotería game for the audience.

Spring at the museum was filled with programs including the opening of Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe, the completion of the sixth semester of the internship program sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Cinco de May Luncheon, four Changarrito Artist Residencies, school tours, lectures, murals in the schools, a new mural on the 5^th St. facade and more. Congratulations to the Mexic-Arte Team for such outstanding work! We hope the public enjoyed the spring programming. Join the museum as a member to keep up with all the summer and future programs. Thank you for your support! 

Executive Director

Sylvia Orozco

Exhibitions

Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe Opening Reception

The reception for Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe at the Mexic-Arte Museum welcomed guests on the evening of Friday, April 17. The Mexic-Arte Museum community celebrated the enduring cultural and spiritual significance ofla Virgen de Guadalupe through art, fashion and community. The reception introduced visitors to extraordinary textile works created by master artists from across Mexico, transforming the museum into a vibrant space of devotion, creativity and cultural exchange.

Curated by Luisa Fernanda Perez and coordinated by Linda Hanna, the exhibition drew together garments that reflected both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary interpretation. Guests explored intricate embroidery, weaving, beadwork, appliqué and mixed media pieces inspired by the image of la Virgen de Guadalupe.

The exhibit also highlighted the photographic work of Jesse Herrera, whose images documenting Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Austin provided a powerful local connection to the exhibition’s broader cultural themes. Herrera’s photographs offered visitors an intimate look at the spiritual and communal life surrounding one of Austin’s most important historic Mexican American institutions.

Throughout the evening, artists, museum supporters, community leaders and visitors gathered to honor the richness of Mexico’s textile traditions and the enduring legacy of la Virgen de Guadalupe. The reception reflected the exhibition’s central message: that la Virgen remains not only a religious figure, but also a universal symbol of hope, cultural identity and continuity for communities across generations.

About the Exhibit:

The image of la Virgen de Guadalupe is one of the most powerful and enduring symbols of identity in Mexico and throughout the Americas. Her image has been mobilized at different historical moments, emerging during the early colonial period following the Spanish invasion of Mesoamerica. Eventually, her figure became central to the efforts of Spanish missionaries to convert Indigenous populations to Christianity. La Virgen de Guadalupe is thought to have first appeared in 1531 on a tilma, a cloak made from coarse cactus fiber and worn by a Nahua man under the Christianized name of Juan Diego. Her image has since been reinterpreted and transformed by Indigenous and Latino/e/x communities, reflecting and embodying cultural survival, identity and collective memory.

Rosas y Revelaciones honors both the enduring presence of la Virgen de Guadalupe and the artists who reimagine her through textile practices. The works in this exhibition demonstrate how representing la Virgen has driven artistic innovation. Because textile techniques often rely on geometric structures, rendering curved forms and figurative imagery presents a challenge. In response, the artists in this exhibition experiment with structure, color and composition. They have developed inventive approaches to translate a complex figure into woven form, revealing how innovation emerges through the encounter between traditional techniques and new creative challenges.

Commissioned by Linda Hanna, textile artist and collector, who worked closely with artists across sixteen Mexican states, this collection reflects a rich diversity of materials, techniques and cultural perspectives; while many works originate from Oaxaca, diverse regions are included, highlighting the breadth of Mexico’s textile heritage. Its creation, deeply collaborative, is rooted in longstanding traditions in which weaving and embroidery take place within family workshops and community networks where knowledge is shared across generations. Techniques, patterns and creative processes are developed collectively, making each textile both an individual expression and the product of communal practice. 

Connecting la Virgen de Guadalupe with Austin’s own cultural landscape, photographs by photojournalist Jesse Herrera document Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, an important cultural and spiritual landmark for Mexican and Mexican American communities in the city. The exhibit also includes a large crocheted image of la Virgen by Melizza Trujillo-Gonzales and a neon piece designed by Jay Gordon and fabricated by David Perez, Kirk Tunningsly, Tayler Drattlo and Blaze Gordon. On the museum’s Mero Muro wall, Tejedoras del Espíritu: Rosas y Revelaciones by Ernesto and Cindy Hernandez, honors the profound lineage of la Virgen and Mesoamerican deities such as Tonantzin and Coatlicue. While the textile work translates la Virgen in the material language of thread and fiber, Herrera and the Hernandezes exemplify the diverse ways her image continues to circulate within Austin’s community life. Together, the works in this exhibition demonstrate how la Virgen de Guadalupe remains a complex and evolving symbol, continually reinterpreted across materials, practices and communities. Emphasizing the living nature of these traditions, Rosas y Revelaciones presents these works in ways that evoke movement, presence and intimacy, recalling how they are worn, handled and experienced in everyday life. In this context, la Virgen de Guadalupe emerges not only as a fixed figure of the past, but as a living presence that is continually reimagined and remains active through artistic practices.

Learn More

Special Tour with Project Founder Linda Hanna & Featured Artist Jesse Herrera

Mexic-Arte Museum thanks Linda Hanna and Jesse Herrera for their tours conducted at the Mexic-Arte Museum. During the first tour, Herrera recalled and retold his experience while researching and photographing Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. For the second tour, visitors learned firsthand from Hanna about the creation of the project titled Rosas y Revelaciones.

May Changarrito, Marcel Homrich

About the Artist

“I was born in the south of Brazil in a city called Porto Alegre, close to the border with Argentina, and I have German and Native Brazilian heritage. I grew up in an artsy environment–my mom is an art teacher and sculptor–and in my family any creative activity was encouraged, including reading, drawing and even painting on the walls. Creating things with my hands was always the way to connect with my
inner self. From all the materials I used to play with, my favorite were paper and yarn. I enjoyed making paper dolls, sculptures and crochet. I graduated in communications and started working as a graphic designer. I had some jobs as a web designer but soon realized that having a traditional career as an employee of a company was not the best fit for me. I would get home and start drawing as my creative outlet; one day, I just had this spark that I could use them on stationery products because it was always so hard for me to find something that would be different from what was sold as mainstream stationery–something that I could identify myself with. I started my first stationery business in 2005, designing greeting cards and art prints in Brazil. In 2011, I got married and moved from São Paulo to the United States. With my first child on the way, and a lot to learn about a new culture, I then decided to slowly phase out by business in Brazil and focus solely on the US market. I created an online store in 2012, and in 2020, I realized my dream of having a brick-and-mortar store/studio. My background is in graphic design, but my practice at the studio right now is more art focused. I still enjoy designing products, but over the last five years, I’ve felt more drawn to making art. It gives me more creative freedom, and it feels closer to what I want to express now. My focus is on textile arts, but I still like to explore other materials like paper and clay.”

Artist Statement

“I come from a background in product design, where function and problem solving shaped the way I think visually. Over time, my focus has shifted to creating art as a space for emotion, intuition and personal narrative. My current work explores abstract ideas that follow my curiosity. I enjoy experimenting with materials like wool, cotton and paper. Moving from product design to art has given me a different kind of freedom—one that prioritizes expression over utility.”

Marcela was at Mexic-Arte Museum on May 9 and 10 and will be back May 16 and 17 from noon to 3 p.m.

View Marcela’s Work

April Changarrito, Carla Santillana

About the Artist

Carla Santillana is an artist and art educator from Brownsville, Texas, based in San Antonio. Working across oil painting, stitched textile collage and works on paper, she balances studio practice with community engagement and arts education. Santillana holds a Master’s in Art Education from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor’s in Art Education from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Recent exhibitions include Sacred Spaces (Flower Shop Art Studio, Brownsville, 2025), Mujer-Eres: Raíces (San Benito Cultural Center, 2025), Zine Gala (The Brick, San Antonio, 2025) and That Which Binds Us (Cactus Valley Art & Supply Co., Harlingen, 2025).

Artist Statement

“My current work explores how rage is manifested, inherited and released in the body. As a woman from a maternal lineage where frustration was often contained or dismissed, I use this anger as a passage towards healing and agency. I treat denim as a representation of flesh. Its flexible, resilient fibers mirror the body’s capacity to store and release trauma. Denim provides an intimate connection to my body while meeting me with its own material resistance and autonomy. These works give voice to the women in my family, who have been historically overlooked. Rage, here, becomes the catalyst for agency, a force I strive to redirect toward healing, forgiveness and growth.”

Carla was at Mexic-Arte Museum on April 18 and 19 from noon to 3 p.m.

View Carla’s Work

Collections

In conjunction of the current exhibition, Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe, the Mexic-Arte Museum would like to highlight artworks from the permanent collection that are on display. The exhibition features a crochet textile by Melizza Trujillo-Gonzales.

Melizza Gonzales was born and raised in East Austin, Texas. She learned how to crochet at the age of six from her abuela (grandmother), who played a central role in inspiring her passion for the craft. Since then, the artist has created a wide range of crochet projects. This particular tejido holds deep personal significance to her. It is a project she had wanted to complete for many years, inspired by a similar piece her abuela had made and displayed in her front door window. After her abuela’s passing, the original tejido’s whereabouts became unknown, motivating Trujillo-Gonzales to search for a pattern that closely resembled it so she could recreate the cherished piece.

Using size ten cotton thread and a size ten metal filet crochet hook, Trujillo-Gonzales brought the project to life. The finished tejido measures 8 feet by 4 feet 11 inches, required approximately 3,900 yards of cotton thread and took three months to complete. Her devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe served as a guiding inspiration throughout the process, encouraging her to continue creating future crochet works that reflect this spiritual influence.

The organizer of Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe, Linda Hanna, commissioned the neon display of the Virgen de Guadalupe for the exhibition from Blackout Signs in San Marcos, TX. Linda Hanna generously donated the neon display to the Mexic-Arte Museum. The work was fabricated by Jeremey Gordon, painted by David Perez, the neon work was done by Taylore Drattlo and Kirk Tunningsley and the work was wired by Blaze Gordon.

Rosas y Revelaciones: Homage to la Virgen de Guadalupe is on view now until August 9, 2026.

Education

Spring 2026 Intern Spotlights

Meet Kate Lyon, Education Intern, The University of Texas at Austin

“Hello, my name is Kate Lyon and I am one of the education Interns at Mexic-Arte this spring! I am a sophomore at The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Art History, and I am from the suburbs of Chicago. I am very passionate about teaching the public about different people and cultures through art, and I applied to the Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project at Mexic-Arte to learn how the museum engages different audiences in the community through its education department.

My favorite project at the museum so far has been researching and brainstorming different ways to engage visitors through gallery activities for the upcoming Rosas y Revoluciones exhibit. I really enjoy the collaborative discussions that come with creating an activity for the gallery and it is teaching me a lot about being resourceful with space, time and materials to create engaging and impactful experiences. My goal with an art history degree is to work in museums to create meaningful experiences that foster an understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives through art. This internship is teaching me how to translate my research and writing skills from the classroom to interactive gallery experiences, helping prepare me for a career in the museum field.”

Vanessa Medrano, Digital Media Intern, The University of Texas at Austin

“My name is Vanessa Medrano, and I am a senior studying Management Information Systems at The University of Texas at Austin. I applied to the digital media intern role because Mexic-Arte’s mission to provide cultural enrichment and represent Mexican culture is personally appealing to me as someone who grew up frequently attending the Mexican art museum closest to my home in Chicago. Additionally, my extensive background in technology, through my coursework, work experience and personal projects, made this position a strong fit for my skills. 

So far, my favorite activity has been updating the Mexic-Arte website. I’ve worked on websites before, but this was my first time working on a website that has already been built, so getting to build on previous work and enhance it has been a really valuable learning experience. This experience is benefitting my career as someone going into technology consulting. It has given me experience working through a real world project lifecycle, from gathering information, asking the right questions and implementing solutions that create meaningful impact. I look forward to seeing the impact of my work and to be a part of the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebration!”

Kseniya Portnaya, Collections Intern, The University of Texas at Austin

“My name is Kseniya Portnaya, and I am a double major in Art History and International Relations, with a minor in Arts Management & Administration at The University of Texas at Austin. Previously, I had experience working behind the scenes in museums, but I never had the chance to contribute to a place as special as the Mexic-Arte Museum, deeply dedicated to cultural enrichment and education. I have really enjoyed exploring the nuances of condition reporting, as well as simply getting to witness soooo many beautiful and creative artworks.

Being a collections intern in this sweet and welcoming environment is incredibly motivating, especially because my plan for the near future is to attend graduate school, pursue a PhD in Art History and enter the museum sphere, working with non-traditional medium artworks. That is why seeing how different departments interact with one another has been such a perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge and skill set while also learning more about wonderful supervisors!”

Jacob Cardenas, Curatorial Intern, The University of Texas at Austin

“My name is Jacob Cardenas, and I study at The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art. I have been an admirer of the museum ever since I moved to Austin and it has been a dream of mine to be involved in any way I can. Seeing a gallery that exemplifies the ideas that I am trying to communicate through my art and giving Latinx artists a spotlight is so refreshing. Finding out that Mexic-Arte offered an internship to students was so exciting, and I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity. I have loved the process of looking at the actual artworks and getting to converse with other artists about their practice. It is so interesting to see the translation from artworks to text because it is not as straight of a line as you may think. Artists are complex, multifaceted and present ideas/questions that bring to light subjects that are not so easy to talk about in our daily life. Having the opportunity to get an in depth look into how artists and galleries work together is something that has been very educational for my practice as an artist.

Due to my major being in Studio Art, I hope to be in a gallery setting in the future with whatever form that takes. I am honored to be a part of this internship and get a behind the curtain look at what it takes to make such a successful gallery run. I am already learning useful lessons about not only curating artworks, but research, writing and editing skills. It has also been a privilege to pick the brain of our amazing Curator, Luisa Fernanda Perez, and just soak in as much information as I can from such a knowledgeable individual. I hope this internship not only opens more doors, but allows me to work with all these lovely people again in the future. I am most definitely looking forward to seeing how the space and the artworks culminate altogether to create a cohesive gallery. Having a small hand and watching how all of these things are put together has been such a special experience so far and I can’t wait to see visitors, family and friends enjoy the artworks opening night.”

This program is made possible by the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) initiative: Latino Museum Initiative Expansion Project, which is designed to provide opportunities for internships and fellowships at American Latino museums for students enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

Summer 2026 Internship Applications Now Open – Deadline, June 5, 2026

Applications Due: Friday, June 6, 2026

Mexic-Arte Museum serves as a pipeline for the professional development of emerging Latinx artists and arts administrators. The internship program aims to cultivate the next generation of museum professionals by offering hands-on experience and career-building opportunities to interns who will work under the mentorship of museum professionals in various departments, gaining valuable skills. Interns will have the opportunity to build professional networks, enhance creativity and critical thinking and apply practical knowledge in a real-world setting.

Internship Program Information:

• Interns must be current undergraduate students in the Austin, Texas area.
• Internships run for ten weeks beginning on June 17, 2026, with a commitment of 10 hours per week during office hours (Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
• Pay rate: $22/h.
• Interns will contribute to the Summer 2026 museum programs and exhibitions.

Internship Department Descriptions: Click department to see applications.

• Collections- Working collaboratively with the department’s Registrar, the collections intern will assist in enhancing and increasing the accessibility of the Mexic-Arte’s permanent collection. The intern will gain hands-on experience in cataloging, data entry, researching and packaging the permanent collection. 
• Curatorial- The curatorial intern will gain an international, national and local perspective of traditional and contemporary Mexican and Latinx/a/o/e art through preparing for projects such as two fall exhibitions. The curatorial intern will assist with the preparation of these exhibits (research, exhibit text, exhibit layout, other). 
• Development- The development intern will focus on three development projects: fundraising for the temporary relocation to the Austin History Center, scaling the membership program and obtaining sponsorships for the Viva la Vida Festival & Parade.
• Digital Media- The digital media intern will assist in organizing assets, strategizing updates the website, add past content and build new event pages, improve its accessibility and create and utilize SEO/marketing trends and management practices. The main project will be building out 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District and Summer Internship webpages.
• Education- Education interns will assist with in-house educational programs, which include: assisting with summer camps, leading tours, hands-on activities during tours, preparing for and facilitating creative projects, family days, workshops, as well as exhibition/art history related planning/execution and activities. 
• Graphic Design- The graphic design intern will assist in designing signage, programs, photography, merchandise for the store and invitations for the museum’s educational programs, events and more. 
• Preparator- The exhibit preparation intern will be assisting the museum registrar with packaging artworks of the permanent collection and creating an inventory. In addition, they will assist with the technical aspects of planning for the 2026 fall exhibitions. 
• Special Events & Marketing- The special events and marketing intern will assist in managing the museum’s external communications and executing special events. This includes opportunities to help produce advertisements, press releases, newsletters, brochures, email marketing and social media content. The intern will earn hands-on experience in coordinating the logistics of a large-scale event as Mexic-Arte Museum begins planning for the 2026 Viva la Vida Festival & Parade.

Visit https://mexic-artemuseum.org/learn/internships/ to read full position descriptions, apply and learn more about past internship cohorts. 

Family Day – Clay Figurine Demonstration with Master Potter Angélica Vásquez

Master Potter, Angélica Vásquez Cruz, visited Mexic-Arte Museum on Sunday, May 17, and generously shared her artwork with those who came to Family Day. She provided three clay demonstrations where she created a mermaid, a devil and a virgencita, walking the audience through her methods and materials. 

Angélica was born in Santa María Atzompa, Oaxaca. Her parents taught her how to source clay from the earth and make clay figures and vessels. Their family made pottery as their trade and sold them as their livelihood. In her own artwork, Angélica takes inspiration from the mythologies and folklores which the elders of her family and community would tell. During the demonstrations, she spoke of her experiences as a woman, learning how to work with clay, developing her artistic inspiration and told personal stories intertwined with the origin stories of mermaids, devils and the Virgin of Guadalupe she was told. The audience listened to her captivating stories and watched intently as she created these intricate sculptures in just 30 minutes, as she was talking. She also sold several pieces which she brought from Oaxaca. 

It was such an honor to have Angélica Vásquez Cruz share her artistic vision and art making with us! Thank you, Angelica, for coming. Thank you to Merry Wheaton and The Austin Friends of Folk Art for helping organize this Family Day. Thank you to Fabiana Muñoz and Monica Muñoz for translating the demonstrations to English. 

Angélica Vásquez Cruz has been recognized as a master of Oaxaca art through her pottery. She works with local materials, constructed traditionally and then wood fired upon completion, making each piece uniquely by hand. She has passed down the knowledge of her craft to her own daughter and granddaughter, just as her parents taught her and as her grandparents taught her parents. 

Vásquez Cruz has exhibited her works internationally numerous times. She received the 2008 National Prize for Arts and Sciences in the “Popular Arts and Traditions” category presented to her by Felipe Calderón, the 63rd president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012, and she is the first woman to win this award.

Family Day – Sculpting the Zanate

Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026

When: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: 419 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701

Admission: FREE thanks to H-E-B & Downtown Austin Alliance

Ages: 8+

Parking: Frost Bank – 4hrs for $10 with Museum Discount Code (Parking Instructions)

Join Mexic-Arte Museum for a two-part family day! This workshop will take participants from the museum’s galleries to the banks of Lady Bird Lake, then into sculpting with clay back at the museum, weaving together Austin’s ecological landscape, Mexican American and Indigenous history and the transformative world-building of contemporary artist Saya Woolfalk.

Part 1: Reading The River

Participants will meet outside Mexic-Arte Museum at 11 a.m. to walk to Republic Square, where they will study the Blackbird sculpture (a monumental grackle sculpture by Kincannon Studios honoring the Mexican American community displaced from the neighborhood in the 1920s) and then continue to Lady Bird Lake to observe the watershed, sketch the landscape and collect natural texture tools. 

Part 2: Sculpting the Zanate

Participants will then return to the museum to build their own terracotta clay hybrid guardians from their field observations: chimeric figures that are part human, part zanate (Great-tailed Grackle), part myth and part future, imagined as permanent inhabitants of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) future tunnel.

The workshop series is inspired by the work of Saya Woolfalk, whose Empathics and ChimaTEK series explore what happens when species, cultures and histories absorb one another. Students will engage with Aztec water deities, Taloc and Chalchiuhtlicue, the 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District and the living ecosystems of Lady Bird Lake as raw material for their sculptural work.

This series was developed in connection with a larger public art project by artist Saya Woolfalk. Woolfalk has been commissioned by the Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) Art in Public Places (AIPP) program to create a permanent artwork installation at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and AlPP have engaged artists from Austin and beyond to shape new permanent public art installation for the airport’s ongoing Journey with AUS expansion. The students’ guardians developed in the Sculpting the Zante workshops are designed with that space in mind: figures standing at the threshold between departure and arrival, between the familiar and the unknown. Participants’ work will be documented and contribute to the final AIPP artwork at AUS.

About the AUS Art in Public Places Program:

The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Art in Public Places program is part of a broader civic commitment to integrating Austin’s cultural identity into one of its most traveled public spaces. The journey with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expansion currently involves 23 artist-led teams in active community engagement across the city.

About the Family Day Facilitators:

Allison Lash is an Austin-based teaching artist, community builder and the person behind Awesome Art!, a passion project dedicated to making art accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Having earned a Master of Fine Arts from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, Allison spent a decade teaching art in public schools before expanding her reach to people of all ages and backgrounds through hands-on creative experiences, from hand-building in clay and suminagashi marbling to mindfulness-based artmaking. She has collaborated with notable institutions across Austin, San Antonio, Houston and New York City (including the Blanton Museum of Art, Austin ISD, Artpace, The Orange Show Center For Visionary Art and the Noguchi Museum) because she feels deeply that making art has a remarkable way of connecting us all. Instagram: @AwesomeArtAustin

Chance Ramirez is a Dougherty Art Center 2024 Visual Artist in Residence with a background in studio art, craft and art therapy. Inspired by a career in mental health, they make hand-built works about pleasure, pain and joyful resistance: intricate, texture-rich pieces for people who like getting lost in the details. Using an abundance of color and surface, Chance invites audiences to reach outward and inward with curiosity, asking: What does it mean to be human? Chance will co-facilitate the clay Zanate hybrid guardian and 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District field study walking tour workshops with Allison Lash. Instagram: @chance_art_stuff_dot_com

Nuestro Estilo Summer Camp

Date: August 3rd to 7th

When: Daily, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Austin Central Library 6th Floor, 710 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701

Admission: FREE TO PARTICIPATE!

Ages: 11+

Attention youth and parents! Mexic-Arte Museum will host summer camps for printmaking and fashion design in 2026! Are you looking for something interesting to do this summer? Do you want to learn a new skill? Are you interested in art, community and fashion? The Mexic-Arte Museum in partnership with Austin Central Library will offer the camp: Nuestro Estilo/Our Style.

In this camp, participants will learn about indigenous garment and textile-making traditions from Mexico while exploring identity. They will learn techniques of embroidery, natural dyes, sewing, printmaking and more to work in teams to create their own clothing. The camp will conclude with a fashion showcase. This program is free with registration.

Thank you to Austin Public Health Office of Violence Prevention, Texas Commission on the Arts, Austin Public Library for supporting these programs!

Nuestro Mundo Summer Camp

Date: July 28th to 31st

When: Daily, from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Where: Austin Public Library Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd Austin, TX 78744

Admission: FREE TO PARTICIPATE!

Ages: 9 to 17

In Nuestro Mundo (Our World), youth will focus on building and strengthening our communities through art and education. Led by museum art educators, participants will identify a change they wish to see in the world. Each student will create an infographic poster using silkscreen and linoleum printmaking technology, accessible processes used by artists and activists to quickly reproduce images and information. The purpose of these posters is to communicate to the public the necessity of social change in an area of importance to the participants.

Partnering with the Austin Public Library, the posters created during the camp will be exhibited at the Southeast Austin Public Library to further amplify the reach of each youth’s message. We will close camp with an art show reception on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Southeast Library. All are welcome to join for refreshments, music, art activities and more!

Mexic-Arte Museum will provide snacks.

For ADA accommodations call 512-974-7400. Free and open to all.

Thank you to Austin Public Health, Austin Public Library and Texas Commission on the Arts for supporting these programs!

Questions about summer programs? Contact Jasmine Chock: Art Education Program Coordinator 512-480-9373

El Mero Muro-Murals in Schools at LBJ High School

Students at LBJ are nearly finished creating a unique mural for the entryway of their school alongside teaching artists DaProphet-Jarrid Williams and Myra Roze. This mural takes inspiration from Van Gogh’s Starry Night and stained glass artworks, creating a piece that depicts 2 visions of unity and beautification within the local community. The completion of the mural will include a celebration of the students’ hard work and dedication at the end of the school year with a reception supplied by the Mexic-Arte Museum.

We would like to thank our teaching artists Jarrid and Roze, art teacher Ms. Linbrugger and LBJ High School for facilitating this project. Additionally, we would like to thank Austin Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention for supporting this and other programs.

In El Mero Muro: Murals in Schools, students learn the historical significance of muralism through art history while developing valuable skills through the project’s diverse stages. Expanding El Mero Muro to public schools in the Austin area, the museum connects students with talented muralist teaching artists who mentor Austin’s youth. These artists guide students through the design and execution of a mural inside the school premises; students conceptualize the murals, along with visual imagery about the identities, stories and lived experiences of the students from their school.

Community Events y Más

Follow @mexic_arte_edu on Instagram to hear about community art and cultural events for families in Austin. You may be able to screen print with us at some of them! Make sure to check Mexic-Arte Museum Instagram stories.

Development

Thank You for Attending Mexic-Arte Museum’s 2026 Cinco de Mayo Festival!

Mexic-Arte started the month with its second annual Cinco de Mayo Festival at Republic Square Park on Saturday, May 2. Thousands of guests gathered to watch performers, taste local treats and explore educational activities. Thank you to the festival sponsors: Downtown Austin Alliance, City of Austin Office of Arts Music, Culture & Entertainment, Dr. Simi, Siete Foods, and Brown Distributing.

Thank You for Attending Mexic-Arte Museum’s 2026 Cinco de Mayo Luncheon!

Thank you to the event sponsors, Downtown Austin Alliance; Austin Convention Center; City of Austin leaders from the Financial Services Department, Capital Delivery Services Department, Austin History Center, Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment, Economic Development and City Council; Board Members Mark Zuniga, Elizabeth Rogers and Paul Saldaña (Saldaña PR); H-E-B; IBC Bank; and Thompson Hotel. 

Thank you to the individual attendees–our friends, new and old, legacy family members and neighbors within and beyond the 5th St. Mexican American Cultural District, for gathering to participate in the festivities. 

Thank you to the guest speaker, Dr. Raúl A. Ramos for delivering an educational and inspiring presentation on the holiday’s significance to our community. 

You are Invited to Join the Membership Program!

All members receive standard benefits: 

• 10% museum store purchases
• Unlimited free admission to exhibitions and receptions
• Subscription to the museum newsletter, Miembros

Browse membership packages and additional benefits on our webpage. 

New Ways to Donate

Make a gift today with your preferred way to pay. Head over to our new donation page to make your gift with our secure online checkout. 

Visit Mexic-Arte Museum on Free Sundays!

Thanks to the generous support of H-E-B and the Downtown Austin Alliance, Mexic-Arte Museum is thrilled to offer free admission and public tours every Sunday! 

Tours on Sundays provides a unique opportunity to connect with the rich history and vibrant art of the Mexican, Latinx and Chicanx communities. Join us for guided tours in English at 2 p.m. and in Spanish at 3 p.m., where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the art on display. This is a great way for visitors of all ages to engage with both traditional and contemporary art forms.

Mexic-Arte Museum Store

New Virgen de Guadalupe Items Now Available!

Local Artists Merch Also Featured!

Follow the New Artists on Instagram!

• Bieke Campos – @Artbybieke
• Tressa Gonzalez – @smittenkittentx
• Laura Clay – @lauraclayart
• Marlene Macias – @shopmootmagoo
• Nydia Salinas – @clayvalleystudio
• Sofia Villanueva – @mavah_designs
• Lindsay Gabriel – @firedartsbylindsay

Thank You Sponsors

A+ Federal Credit Union, Alliance Française d’Austin, Austin Independent School District Creative Classrooms, Austin Lowriding, Austin Saltillo Sister Cities Association, Bettina & Travis Mathis, Bob & Marisa O’Dell, Capital Printing, Chase Bank, Charlotte Hage Dalbey, City of Austin Capital Services, City of Austin Community Youth Development Program, City of Austin Economic Development, City of Austin Parks & Recreation, City of Austin Public Health Department, City of Austin Special Events, Consulate General of Mexico in Austin, Dulce Vida, Ed Jordan, Elizabeth Rogers, Endeavor Real Estate Group, Erwin Cuellar, Fenix Post Tension, Inc., Frost Bank, Gloria Moore, Gloria Reyna, Hendler Flores Law, H-E-B, IBC Bank, IBM, Jennifer Hage Bond, Jennifer & Joseph Gatti, JP’s Peace Love & Happiness Foundation, Juan & Martha Cotera, Juan J. Gutierrez, La Voz, Lola Wright Foundation, Ann McEldowney, Madelline Mathis, Mark Zuniga, Mellon Foundation, Nettie & M.K. Hage Family, Oncor Global, Patricia Hage Hirsh, Paul Saldaña, Peter M. Baez, Pronto Insurance, Robin Suzanne Hage, Rocheli Patisserie, Saldaña Public Relations, Serie Print Project, Siete, Silcone Labs, Spurs, Thompson Austin, UFCU