NALAC – The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture Completes First Set of Historic National Conversations Project

(San Antonio, TX) - As part of its 20th Anniversary Celebration, NALAC – The National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, convened three national conversations to examine innovations and assess strategies for sustainability in the Latino arts field.  NALAC invited accomplished Latino artists, leaders, legends, scholars and others from around the country to participate in its groundbreaking National Conversations Project to discuss and address issues of capitalization, next generation leadership development and capacity building.  These historic conversations will result in three white papers (now christened by NALAC as brown papers) that will be published and presented to a national audience at NALAC's 7th National Conference in San Jose, CA, April 14-18, 2010.

“Having attended all the conversations, I could see that we were making history.  The participants were driven and committed to propelling Latino arts, culture, artists and  cultural organizations into the future,” said María López de León, Executive Director of NALAC.  “We’re eager to publish the information and plan the next phase of NALAC’s National Conversations Project.”

NALAC is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to the promotion, advancement, development, and cultivation of the Latino arts field.  NALAC’s National Conversations Project received support from the National Endowment of the Arts, City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs and sponsorship from Southwest Airlines.

The national conversations are part of a comprehensive research and assessment of the Latino arts field that NALAC has undertaken as part of its 20th Anniversary activities. The first conversation in San Antonio, Texas took place on January 16, 2010 and focused on Leadership, Transitions and Succession in Latino Organizations.   The second conversation took place in New York City  on January 23, 2010 and focused on Latino Arts and Cultural Organizations and their role in the evolving American Latino arts and culture landscape.  The third conversation took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 30, 2010 and focused on aesthetics and the making of art.  

The National Conversations Project is one of the many services to the field provided by NALAC.  The organization also offers two grant programs, the NALAC Fund for the Arts and the Transnational Cultural Remittances Grant Program, that to date have given nearly $1 million dollars to Latino artists and arts organizations; conducts The National Leadership Institute to train emerging and transitioning leaders and artists; publishes EL AVISO, a national newsletter and magazine; organizes Regional Training Conferences which offers workshops on fundraising, board development, marketing and other elements needed to build and sustain strong Latino organizations and  artists’ careers; and presents its national conference which attracts 400 Latino artists, leaders, funders and practitioners for several days of panels, speakers, performances and community building.