Centro Cultural Aztlan is proud to present a FOTOSEPTIEMBRE: Cultural Imagination Across Generations
Centro Cultural Aztlan’s upcoming photographic exhibition, presented in conjunction with FotoSeptiembre, offers a powerful meditation on Mexican American life as lived, remembered, and continually reimagined. Rooted in everyday experience, the exhibited works illuminate the intimate textures of Tejano and Chicano communities — moments often overlooked, yet deeply embedded in the cultural imagination across generations. Through images of Quinceañeras, birthdays, religious observances, and quiet scenes of domesticity, the exhibition captures both the extraordinary and the everyday, revealing how cultural values such as family, resilience, cooperation, and continuity are actively lived and sustained.
These photographs function as more than visual documents; they are acts of preservation, affirmation, and storytelling. Collectively, they form an alternative chronicle of Mexican American familial and cultural practices — a lifelong endeavor for many of the photographers represented. As visual historians and cultural workers, these artists construct narratives that challenge historical absence in mainstream representation while expanding the scope of American art. Their work transforms fleeting moments into enduring records, creating a visual archive that complements written histories and ensures the lived experience is neither forgotten nor marginalized.
San Antonio emerges as a central presence throughout the exhibition—a wellspring of memory, identity, and meaning. Viewed through a South Texas lens, the images ground broader cultural themes in specific places, faces, and traditions, reflecting how the community sees itself and wishes to be seen. At the same time, the works foster empathy and cultural understanding, inviting viewers into a dialogue between past and present. Especially for those unfamiliar with these cultural worlds, the exhibition opens a space for recognition and learning.
Ultimately, this exhibition underscores photography’s vital role in shaping cultural memory. These images do not simply record; they speak. They carry forward stories of identity, place, and belonging, contributing to a broader, community-rooted, culturally affirming arts movement. In doing so, they help ensure that Mexican American life is seen, valued, and understood within the evolving narrative of American art.
We are also honoring Al Rendón with the Aguila Azteca Award. Rendón is a San Antonio-born photographer, for his extraordinary contributions to documenting the cultural life of South Texas. Over a distinguished career spanning more than five decades, Rendón has captured the spirit of Mexican American and Tejano communities through powerful images of music, tradition, and everyday life. From his early work photographing rock concerts in the 1970s to his iconic portraits of Selena, conjunto musicians, and charreada participants, his photography reflects both artistic excellence and cultural stewardship. His work, featured in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and exhibited internationally, affirms his role as a vital visual historian. The Witte Museum’s retrospective further recognized his enduring impact. Through his lens, Rendón preserves the stories, resilience, and identity of San Antonio, leaving an invaluable legacy for future generations.
Participating Artists: Ricardo Romo (Curator), Al Rendón (Lead Artist), Oscar Castillo, Ruben Chavez, Gloria Cruz, Chris Hernandez, Noe Hernandez, Ramon Hernandez, Victoria Martinez, Enrique Navarette, David Ortega, Joel Salcido, Monica Saldaña, and Kathy Vargas.
Join us for the opening reception on Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.Join us for light refreshments and live music by Juan and Armando Tejeda and Armando Martinez.
This exhibition is Free and open to the public and will be on view through September 30, 2026.
You can find the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/share/19CN7VwDcQ/
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
Centro Cultural Aztlan presents San Antonio sisters Manola and Maria Ramirez in “Había Una Vez,” an interactive and immersive art exhibit dedicated to exploring and commemorating the experiences and culture of immigrant families. Inviting the viewer to walk into the story of their art, the exhibit seeks to deepen the understanding of migrant experiences and identity, an essential part of San Antonio’s culture.
Through this exhibition, the artists aim to invoke a sensory experience that draws the viewer into the stories they’re telling, and invites them to respond or participate in the story themselves. Vibrant colors and a bold, illustrative style lend themselves to the complexities of bicultural experiences, and the importance of immigrant identities. This show promises to be a unique and enriching experience that shares a deeper view of the migrant experience through visual storytelling.
Opening reception: Friday, August 7, 2026, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Join us for light refreshments and entertainment. This exhibition is Free and open to the public and will be on view through August 27, 2026.
[caption id="attachment_2759" align="alignnone" width="500"]
Photo Courtesy of Manola and Maria Ramirez[/caption]
Photo Courtesy of Manola and Maria Ramirez[/caption]

In celebration of our 49th anniversary, Centro Cultural Aztlan presents El Gran Día de los Artistas on Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. This free indoor community event features live music, dance, and poetry performances, as well as live art demonstrations, an artisan market showcasing original and unique works by local artists and artisans, and two fine art exhibits in our galleries. Centro Cultural Aztlan was founded in June of 1977, and we invite you to join us in celebrating 49 years of community arts programming in San Antonio.
The event features fun for the whole family, including:
A fabulous Artisan Market with over 30 artists and makers, featuring handmade fine crafts, Art, Jewelry, home decor, clothing and more!

Live painting, demos and a full day or performances from dance, poetry, and music!
and our latest gallery exhibition: Infinity Square with Louis Vega Treviño and Ben Mata.
RSVP on our Facebook page event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/182ZNFFYPp/
We hope that you and your family will join us in celebrating this special milestone for our organization and our community!
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
Centro Cultural Aztlan is proud to present a new exhibition by two of the most important San Antonio Contemporary Artists, Louis Vega Treviño and Ben Mata.
Centro Cultural Aztlan is proud to present a new exhibition by two of the most important San Antonio Contemporary Artists, Louis Vega Treviño and Ben Mata. Color, Balance, Rhythm, and Geometry, all contribute to their work as they try to examine and illustrate the relationships within each form and color as they evolve into an environment of their own. The color relationships, the repetition, the environments they create, all have an undeniable role in activating the senses creating a visual language for the viewer to translate into feelings, emotions and energy.
Join us for the opening reception on Friday, June 5, 2026 from 6:00-9:00pm for light refreshments and live music by Juan and Armando Tejeda.
You can find the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E2CekvZc5/
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view through July 18th, 2026.
Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-4:00pm, except for Holidays.
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
Centro Cultural Aztlan is pleased to present the 16th annual Mujeres de Aztlan exhibition, titled Mujeres de Fuerza/Women of Strength.
Through this annual exhibition that celebrates International Women’s Day, Centro Cultural Aztlan aims to raise the visibility of women artists working to develop their careers and expand their artistic expressions.
The Annual Mujeres de Aztlan exhibition invites women artists to submit their creative work reflecting on personal thematic interests. The intent of this exhibit is to create an artistic space led by women who are employing creative energies and imagination with artistic expressions reflecting unique viewpoints and ways of expression. Artists engage in illuminating the universe in positive ways given the increasing complexities and challenges facing the world today
Participating artists include:
Lead artist: Terry Ybañez
Elizabeth H. Balderas, Lyn Belisle, Maggie Bennett, Kim Bishop, Ruth Buentello, Veronica Castillo Salas, Rita Maria Contreras, Gladys Cosio-Burger, Monica De La Cruz Walker, Alexandria De La Rosa, Celeste DeLuna, Monessa Maria Esquivel, Barbara Felix, Anel Flores, Joan Frederick, Adriana M. Garcia, Angelica Gomez Mayorga, Diana Kersey, Leigh Ann Lester, Jeannette McDougall, Edna Lugo Martinez, Ashley Mireles, Norma Jean Moore, Gricelda Corpus Nill, Ashley Perez, Manola Ramirez, Maria Ramirez, Andrea Rivas, Gloria Sanchez Hart, Ethel Shipton, Anita Valencia, Ann Wallace , Angela Weddle, Liliana Wilson, Loretta Young Medellin, and Guillermina Zabala.
Join us at the opening reception on Friday, March 6, 2026 from 6:00-9:00pm for light refreshments and music by DJ Despeinada. Poetry by San Antonio Poet Laureate Laurie Ann Guerrero, Poet and Educator, Francis Treviño Santos, Poet Victoria Garcia Zapata, and Poet and Educator Andrea Greimel.
The Facebook event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/17pR7vGTbP/
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view through April 16, 2026. Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-4:00pm., except for Holidays.
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
www.centroaztlan.org
Centro Cultural Aztlan has produced and presented the annual Segundo de Febrero exhibit since 1977 in an effort to preserve Mexican American history and culture. This exhibit commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and focuses on the ever-ongoing Mexican American experience in the United States. After the ending of the U.S. Mexican war borders lines were redistributed and populations with dual identities, history, culture, life experiences and traditions were established. This exhibit seeks to bring forth those experiences and their impact on the what shapes us as a country.
Participating artists include:
Lead artist: Xavier Garza
Kim Bishop, Celeste De Luna, Antonio Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Jesse Garcia, Hector Garza, Irma Garza, Noe Garza, Luis Guerrero, Jim Haught, Gerald Lopez, Joe Lopez, Wil Martin, Angelica Mayorga, Juan De Dios Mora, Lucrecia Morales, Jimmy Peña, Juan Miguel Ramos, Mary Agnes Rodriguez, Raul Servin, Sarah Shore, Clifton Tinker, Luis Valderas, Aleida Garcia Wedgworth, Brian Wedgworth, and Uri Whitehead.
Join us at the opening reception on Monday, February 2nd, 2026 from 6:00-9:00pm for light refreshments and live music
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view through February 26, 2026. Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-4:00pm, except during holidays.
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
Centro Cultural Aztlan cordially invites you to the opening reception of our newest exhibition entitled The A3 Press: 15 Años, a collection of large-scale prints by local artists Kim Bishop and Luis Valderas. Join us for a meet and greet with the artists on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
This exhibition offers a compelling glimpse into the dynamic world of large-scale street prints, showcasing a selection of impactful works created by the collaborative efforts of Kim Bishop and Luis Valderas over the past fifteen years. Their shared vision has manifested in the form of A³ Press pop-up industrial press events, a groundbreaking initiative that has brought the spectacle of large-scale printmaking to diverse communities throughout the state of Texas. Since 2010, A³ Press has focused in forming a powerful visual chronicle of ongoing socio-political injustices as experienced and interpreted by the communities of the frontera region and the wider state of Texas. The perspectives and artistic voices of over thirty collaborating printmakers are interwoven within this body of work, offering a rich tapestry of narratives and visual representations that document a critical period in the region's history.
These prints serve not only as artistic expressions but also as vital historical documents, capturing the concerns, struggles, and resilience of the communities from which they emerged. This exhibition thus offers a unique opportunity to engage with a powerful intersection of art, community, and social commentary, underscoring the enduring relevance of printmaking as both an art of the people and a medium of revolution.
Join us at the opening reception on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 6:00-9:00pm.
Light refreshments will be served.
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view through August 14, 2025.
Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-4:00pm, except for Holidays.
For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan M-Th. 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103.
San Antonio TX, 78201.
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Centro Cultural Aztlan is pleased to present its 33th annual Superhero Exhibit and Contest!
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[ms_heading style="none" color="" border_color="" text_align="left" font_weight="500" font_size="20" margin_top="0" margin_bottom="10" border_width="0" responsive_text="yes" class="" id=""]This exhibition is open to any students 6 to 18 years of age, from kinder to High School. We asked students to identify a positive role model in their lives and create a drawing, illustration, painting, or sculpture of their Superhero. The key word and subject of this contest is “Super Heroes”, who the students consider as positive role models in their school, community, or home. Special attention was be given to creativity and originality on the subject. Artwork is open to any media.
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Award presentation and opening reception: Saturday, May 17th, 2025 12-3pm.
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[ms_accordion_item title="2025 Participating Schools:" color="#666666" background_color="" close_icon="" open_icon="" status="close"] Bellaire Elementary, Collier Elementary, Freedom Elementary, Glen Oaks Elementary, Nichols Elementary, Northwest Crossing Elementary, Schulze Elementary, Smith Elementary, Stonewall Flanders Elementary, Vestal Elementary, Davis Middle School, Harlendale Middle School, Hotwells Middle School, Kingsborough Middle School, Leal Middle School, Legacy Middle School, Terrell Wells Middle School, Vale Middle School, Whittier Middle School, East Central High School, Cast Med High School, Clark High School, McCollum High School, O'Connor High School, and Veteran's Memorial High School.
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[ms_accordion_item title="2025 Participating Schools:" color="#666666" background_color="" close_icon="" open_icon="" status="close"] Bellaire Elementary, Collier Elementary, Freedom Elementary, Glen Oaks Elementary, Nichols Elementary, Northwest Crossing Elementary, Schulze Elementary, Smith Elementary, Stonewall Flanders Elementary, Vestal Elementary, Davis Middle School, Harlendale Middle School, Hotwells Middle School, Kingsborough Middle School, Leal Middle School, Legacy Middle School, Terrell Wells Middle School, Vale Middle School, Whittier Middle School, East Central High School, Cast Med High School, Clark High School, McCollum High School, O'Connor High School, and Veteran's Memorial High School.
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Centro Cultural Aztlan is pleased to present Ciencia Dulce/Sweet Science: An Artistic Perspective of San Antonio Boxing. Lead Artist for this show is visual artist Jim Haught and co-curators Rob Benavidez and Roland Sul. This exhibition is a dynamic and immersive art exhibit dedicated to exploring and celebrating the world of boxing, a sport that resonates deeply within the heart of San Antonio. Bringing together a diverse group of artists, the exhibit seeks to create a vibrant dialogue between art and the local boxing culture.
Envisioned as a multidisciplinary exhibit, this show aims to capture the raw emotion, intense physicality, and poetic beauty of boxing through various art forms and promises to be a unique and enriching experience that pays homage to the spirit and passion of San Antonio boxing and its rich history.
Join us at the opening reception on Friday April 4, 2025 from 6:00-9:00pm. The exhibit will continue through the end of April 2025. Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Participating artists include:
Lead artist: Jim Haught
Featured artists: Albert Alvarez, Rob Benavides, Slim Bishop, Evil Dave, Victor De La Fuente, Marc Deadrick, Cris Escobar, Gerardo Garcia, Noe Garza, Xavier Garza, Beto Gonzales, Rosendo Gonzalez, Luis Guerrero, Jim Haught, Matt Hensley, Jeff Huerta, Ricardo Islas, Jordan Kovatch, Weldon Lewis, Joe Lopez, Angelica Mayorga, Noel Medina, Richard Menchaca, Lauren O’Connor, Alex Padilla, Ryan Parker, Martin Rangel, Christian Amadeus Rodriguez, Dan Soder, Denise Stafford, Roland Sul, Keith Underwood, Guillermo Valenzuela, Uri Whitehead, and Mykil Zep.
The Facebook event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/16GscWUH5v/
For more information please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday-Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s offices located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103, San Antonio TX 78201.
Centro Cultural Aztlan is pleased to present the 16th annual Mujeres de Aztlan exhibition, titled Mujeres Artistas: Iluminando El Futuro.
Through this annual exhibition that celebrates International Women’s Day, Centro Cultural Aztlan aims to raise the visibility of women artists working to develop their careers and expand their artistic expressions.
The Mujeres Artistas: Iluminando El Futuro exhibition invites women artists to submit their creative work reflecting on personal thematic interests. The intent of this exhibit is to create an artistic space led by women who are employing creative energies and imagination with artistic expressions reflecting unique viewpoints and ways of expression. Artists engage in illuminating the universe in positive ways given the increasing complexities in addition to all of the challenges facing the world today.
The lead artist for this exhibition is Liliana Wilson and curated by Dolores Garcia.
Participating artists include:
Alejandra Almuelle, Connie Arismendi, Abigail Avila, Santa Barraza, Kim Bishop, Ana Borne, Ana Deisy Campos, Cristina Cardenas, Veronica Castillo Salas, Erika Casasola, Cecilia Colomé, Rita Maria Contreras, Ana Laura De La Garza, Celeste De Luna, Anel Flores, Carolina Flores, Sandra Fernandez, Esperanza Gama, Margaret Garcia, Scherezade Garcia, Mary Jane Garza, Naxieli Gomez, Suzy Gonzalez, Courtney Hernandez-Enriquez, Claudette Hopkins, Hailey Marmolejo, Angelica Mayorga, Paloma Mayorga, Ashley Perez, Manola and Maria Ramirez, Andrea V Rivas, Rafaela Rohdis, Rachel Salcedo, Cecilia Sanchez Duarte, Gloria Sanchez Hart, Elvira Szepesi, Patsy Valdez, Kathy Vargas, Angela Weddle, and Claudia Zapata.
Join us at the opening reception on Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 6:00-9:00pm for light refreshments and live music by “La Reina Del Acordeón”, Eva Ybarra.
The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view through March 28, 2025.
Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday, 10:00am-4:00pm., except for Holidays.
The Facebook event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/15HVPuGHMu/
For more information please call Centro Cultural Aztlan Monday-Thursday, 10am to 4pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s offices located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103, San Antonio TX 78201.
