ALAC works to preserve Latino culture

Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center promotes and preserves Latino, Mexican, Xicano and Indigenous arts and cultures. They have a main gallery “La Galeria 147” and two smaller galleries “El Rincon” and “La Campilla.” Horizonte host José Cárdenas spoke with Elizabeth Toledo, the Executive Director at Arizona Latino Artists Cultural center, about the culture and arts ALAC preserves.

When Toledo took over, downtown was going through a lot of changes, including the introduction of the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus.

Toledo said they get a lot of clients from the Phoenix convention center, adding people come from “all over the world” to the conventions at Phoenix.

“Our main goal at ALAC is education, and to promote local artists,” she said.

“There’s a lot of art, there’s a lot of culture behind the Latino community. And there are a lot of artists out there who do not consider themselves artists.” People who doodle and draw, people who lay floors and make tiles. “Those people are artists,” she said.

She said ALAC shows these artists different styles and things they can do. They provide art lessons and art exhibitions.

In March there is an all-women’s show. She said you do not have to be Latino to enter the show, but the artwork must be from Arizona and in line with the theme.

In April there is a low rider show with music.

“We’re going to continue in the summertime with classes,” with drawing classes and a summer program for middle school and high school students.