Art rooted in Hispanic, Chicano, and Latinx culture is a fascinating and integral part of life in metro Phoenix. Even so, people don't always make time to explore it. Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, is a great time to educate yourself. You'll find fewer formal Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations around town this year due to COVID-19, but you've still got plenty of great options.
Ingenio Festival
Milagro Theatre Virtual EventFriday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4
A collective of Latinx theater organizations that includes Arizona’s Borderlands Theater is working with Milagro Theatre in Portland to present readings of six new plays by Latinx playwrights. Festival events will take place online.
Flamenco Intimo is coming to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
Julia Chacón Flamenco Theatre
Flamenco Intimo
Scottsdale Center for the Performing ArtsSaturday October 3
Julia Chacón Flamenco Theatre is presenting an evening of flamenco music, dance, and vocals, which draws on the rich history of this energetic folkloric art form featuring vibrant costumes and performance. Tickets for the 8 p.m. event at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts start at $26.
‘La Aparación de nuestros Ancestros’
Fair Trade CaféSaturday, October 3
Fair Trade Café is showing works by artists Edgar Fernandez and Chela Chelinski, who describe the exhibit as “a celebration of ancestral presence” created using paper, wood, and canvas. The soft opening for the exhibition takes place October 3 from 3 to 5 p.m., but the art will be on view through October 30.
Portal to the Past Festival
Pueblo Grande Museum Virtual EventSunday, October 4
Cultural Coalition and Pueblo Grande Museum are presenting a robust lineup of music, dance, and children’s activities reflecting the knowledge and artistic energy of the ancestral people who once lived in this region. The 2 p.m. event will be available through several social media platforms.
‘Al Son Que Me Toquen’
The Gallery at Chandler Center for the ArtsOpens Saturday, October 10
Vision Gallery is showing recent paintings by Emily Costello and Frank Ybarra, whose depictions of everyday life celebrate diverse expressions of resilience, at The Gallery at CCA. The gallery is also presenting the Los Americanx series by Edgar Cardenas, which addresses identity and visibility for people who are disenfranchised.
Marta Chilindrón, Blue Cube 48, 2006. Twin wallpolycarbonate. Collection of Phoenix Art Museum, Gift ofNicholas Pardon.
Nicholas Pardon
'Stories of Abstraction'
Phoenix Art MuseumOpens Wednesday, October 14
Phoenix Art Museum reopens to the public on October 14, when visitors can explore exhibits including “Stories of Abstraction: Contemporary Latin American Art in the Global Context." Museum hours that day are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The exhibit features 40 recently-acquired works by 25 artists based in several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Museum admission for adults is $23. The venue recommends buying tickets online before attending. The museum and exhibit will open to members on October 1.
Mariachi and Folklorico Festival
Chandler Center for the Arts Virtual EventSaturday, October 17
Chandler Center for the Arts will record festival performances, which are part of the city’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Participating artists include Mariachi Tesoro de Tucson, Mariachi Corazon del Valle, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ, and more. A free two-hour broadcast on the center’s website will begin at 7 p.m.
