Mint to host culminating celebration June 20
ArtSí, Charlotte’s arts community initiative that supports and connects Latino and Latina artists in Mecklenburg County, is readying for its 10-year anniversary celebration, Con A de Arte (A is for Art). Three events will be held in uptown Charlotte:
• Con A de Arte Kickoff Party – Saturday, June 15 at 9 p.m., Cosmos Café, 300 N. College Street, uptown Charlotte
• Con A de Arte Literary Night at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Tuesday, June 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., West Boulevard Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, 2157 West Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28208.
• MAIN EVENT: Con A de Arte Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony – Thursday, June 20 from 6-9 p.m., Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street.
The celebration will culminate with the Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony, at which featured artists will present an artistic response to the exhibition Sociales: Débora Arango Arrives Today, which is on view at Mint Museum Uptown through Sunday, June 16. Colombian-born painter Débora Arango, who died in 2005 at the age of 98, was one of the pioneers of modern Colombian art. She is considered one of the most important and controversial modern artists of her time.
Featured artists were chosen by a group of art professionals that include: Cynthia Moreno (Assistant Learning & Engagement Director, The Mint Museum), Claudia González-Griffin (Residency & Exhibitions Manager, McColl Center for Visual Art), Melina Monita-Pacheco (Latino New South Project Coordinator, Levine Museum of the New South), Siu Challons-Lipton (Chair, Art Department, Queens University of Charlotte), and Michele Shaul (Director, Center for Latino Studies, Queens University of Charlotte).
Award recipients will also be honored at the ceremony for their contributions to the arts community in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Recipients have gone above and beyond in promoting and uplifting Latino artists.
FEATURED ARTISTS:
Visual Artists: Ivan Peña, Claudia Pureco, Oscar Ortiz, Angela Lubinecky, and Nico Amortegui; Latino Themed by Non-Latino Artists: Bill Temples – Fine Arts, Kevin Shank – Photographer, and Jan Notzon – Writer; Sculpture: Victor Gómez and Adrián Barrionuevo; Dance: Daniel Arredondo, El Alma de la Luna and Movimentos de Samba Brazilian Dance Co.; Music Singers: Aris Quiroga and Jessica Alberto de Gutierrez; Theatre: Mónica Román – Actress; Performing Multidiscipline: Genesis Soto – Poet, Actress; Food/Art: Clara Delgado Tapiero – Gelatin Artist; Photography: Armando Bellmas and Jonathan Reynas; Fashion Design: Jennifer Cardenas
AWARD WINNERS:
• Sara Wolf Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Edwin Gil
• Community Partner Award presented to Queens University of Charlotte
• Leading Latino/a Artist Award presented to Rosie Molinary
• Individual Community Supporter Award presented to Lucilla Ruvalcaba
The Con A de Arte presenting sponsors are the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and The Mint Museum. In-kind sponsors are Cosmos Café, Jennifer Cardenas, Edwin Gil, Latin American Contemporary Art Projects, and Rooster Communications. For a full list of donors and key supporters, please visit the ArtSi website at www.artsicharlotte.org.
ABOUT ARTSÍ
ArtSí Charlotte is a community initiative developed to support Latinos/as in the arts in Mecklenburg County. ArtSí Charlotte connects Latino/a artists to available resources, creates opportunities, empowers Latino/a initiatives and bridges the cultural, communication and financial barriers that Latinos/as in the arts may face. Further, it aims to connect the community as a whole with an amazing pool of talented and diverse artists in the Latino culture. Strategic direction, administrative support and programming is provided by the following organizations, members of the steering committee: Latin American Women Association, Levine Museum of the New South, McColl Center for Visual Art, Mint Museum and Queens University. For more information about ArtSí Charlotte, visit ArtSiCharlotte.org or find us on Twitter at @ArtSiCharlotte and Facebook at facebook.com/ArtSiCharlotte.
For more information, contact:
Leigh Dyer
Public Relations Manager, The Mint Museum
704.337.2009
Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org
Ana Lucia Divins
Latino Community Education Liaison, The Mint Museum
AnaLucia.Divins@mintmuseum.org
704.337.2123
Brian Cockman
President, Rooster Communications
brian@roostercomm.biz
877.210.3737, ext. 11