 Log in to add this person to friends Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 United StatesMestizo Institute of Culture of Arts (MICA) is a non-profit organization created in 2003 to develop and oversee an art museum and cultural institution that provides exhibitions, services, receptions, classes, community events and a studio space.
The opening of Mestizo Coffeehouse and MICA Gallery is the first step in achieving our long term goals of a permanent museum.
We invite our community to claim the space that we provide through the coffeehouse/gallery as their own by doing community-driven programming. The programming is relevant to the issues and concerns they face everyday.
MICA Mission Statement
OUR MISSION is to strengthen and build communities through art while advancing the discussion of Chicana/o, Latina/o, Indigenous, cross-cultural experiences and those who live in the borderlands (physically, spiritually, or psychologicially). As a result of our of experiences in accessing public art spaces, we are an inclusive organization and wish to provide space to all, especially those who in the past have been excluded from other public forums.
Mestizo Arts & Activism (MAA)
The Mestizo Arts & Activism program (MAA) is a youth leadership, research, and education program supporting the development of young people growing up on the West Side of Salt Lake City as catalysts of change through leadership, the arts, and active civic engagement. Twenty high school students who live on Salt Lake City’s Westside are participating in the program that meets twice a week after school. As part of the program the youth participants develop action research projects based on their personal and communal concerns. The Mestizo Arts & Activism program draws upon the assets of the diverse communities of the West Side, engaging the resources of community partners the West Side Leadership Institute of University Neighborhood Partners (UNP) & NeighborWorks Salt Lake (NWS).
Open mics
Every Monday evening we open the gallery for open-mic music for people of all ages and ability. Every Wednesday evening we open the gallery for open-mic poetry. The group has become a supportive group for poets, musicians and aficionados to get together and perform together through a shared passion. It is our intention to bring both locally and nationally recognized poets and musicians to perform and conduct workshops that support these positive Westside alternative outlets.
Art Exhibits
We change over our art exhibits every 45-60 days. Ideally, we strive to always pair local artist(s) with a national artist, although we are not always able to do so due to funding. Thus far we have exhibited Gaspar Enriquez from Texas who is part of the Chicano Visions collection, David Maestas (SLC), Deborah Vasquez (Texas), Veronica Perez (SLC), Lola Reyes (SLC), Brittney Flores (SLC), Lluviany Ceballos (SLC), Gina Alvarez (SLC), Rosalba Dominguez (SLC), Victoria Lyons (SLC), Cat Palmer (SLC), EJ Curry (SLC), etc.. We just finished an exhibition of the process for making community art. We highlighted three mural projects: the B.O.B (Bridges over Barriers) 22,000 square foot mosaic and the two Northwest multipurpose center murals. The Northwest murals were painted in the gallery space for the public to enjoy and learn the process.
Lowrider Car Model Making
The SLC Brown Berets teach a Lowrider model-making workshop to children ages 7 and up. The youth learn how to create model cars from scratch. Each car is then painted with art and will function as miniature lowriders, some of which will have actual hydraulics for effect. In the future we plan to exhibit the model cars created by these young people through an art exhibit that will display them for the public to enjoy and learn about the art of lowrider model cars and lowrider car culture as an important aspect of chicana/o culture in the U.S.
Muralism
Ruby Chacon teaches a mural apprentice program to students who have been selected through an application and interview process. The young people engage the community through focus groups, and then help implement a design and painting. In the process, they also visit the University campus for tours, the Utah Fine arts museum, galleries, and listen to guest speakers including artists, professors, and college counselors who speak to them on how to access higher ed and/or advance an art career. They also take workshops on resume writing and bios in order to have preparedness in applying for scholarships. The most recent program began July of 2009.
Digital based Testimonials
University students have been creating digital testimonies with high school students who live on the Westside. With the support of University Faculty we would like to turn their short-term program into a long-term community-based program that continues to educate youth in digital media while documenting their lives and experiences.
Networking Goals: strengthen the community Added on 09-11-2009 Updated on 09-11-2009 |
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