Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts facts for kids

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Location in San Francisco Bay Area Show map of San Francisco Bay Area Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Location in California Show map of California Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	2868 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Built	1977
Website	https://missionculturalcenter.org/
NRHP reference No.	100005987
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	2020

The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) is a special place for art in San Francisco, California. It was started in 1977 and is located in the Mission District. MCCLA offers art studios, art classes, an art gallery, and a theater.

It also has a graphics department called Mission Grafica. This department is famous for its hand-printed posters and printmaking studio. The building where MCCLA is located became a historic landmark on December 29, 2020. It was also named a San Francisco Designated Landmark on June 3, 2022.

What MCCLA Offers

A colorful float from the 2015 Carnaval San Francisco Parade

The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) is a busy hub for creativity. It provides many ways for people to get involved in art. You can find spaces to create art, take art classes, visit an art gallery, and enjoy performances in its theater.

Community Events

MCCLA is very active in its local community. It helps support many fun annual events in the neighborhood. These include the exciting Carnaval parade and the special Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

Since 2003, MCCLA has hosted a yearly competition for mole sauce. This is a delicious traditional Mexican sauce. For the annual Carnaval parade, MCCLA helps a lot. They teach dance classes, build amazing floats, design costumes, and create banners and posters.

MCCLA also helps with the yearly Dia de los Muertos event in the Mission District. They help set up beautiful altars in Garfield Square park. Every February, they host an art show called Corazón del Barrio. Local artists sell their works there, like prints, jewelry, pottery, and woven items.

Special Art Shows

In 2017, MCCLA celebrated its 40th anniversary. They had an art exhibition called “Here Now: Where We Stand.” This show helped people understand Latino experiences better. It featured works by many talented artists. Some of these artists included Juan Fuentes, Andrea Gomez, Ester Hernandez, Yolanda Lopez, and Patricia Rodriguez.

MCCLA's Story

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts float at the 2015 Carnaval San Francisco Parade

The idea for a community art space in the Mission District started in 1972. In 1976, a group called the Mission Arts Alliance was formed. They worked to make this dream a reality. The city bought a building that used to be a furniture store.

The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) officially opened in 1977. It was founded by artists and community leaders. Their goal was to celebrate and promote the cultures of Chicano, Central American, South American, and Caribbean people.

Early Days

Many writers and poets were involved in MCCLA in its early years. These included Ernesto Cardenal, Nina Serrano, and Roberto Vargas. They formed a group called Pocho–Che. This group printed many books and flyers, including a magazine called El Pocho-Che. By 1980, this group had finished its work.

The graphics and printing department, Mission Grafica, was started in 1982. It was founded by Jos Sances and Rene Castro.

Solo Mujeres Exhibition

Since 1987, MCCLA has hosted an annual art show called Solo Mujeres. This show features art by Latina women. The Solo Mujeres 2020 exhibit included artists who explored different topics. These topics often connected to the writings of Gloria Anzaldua. The curator for the 2020 show, Martina Ayala, connected the art to ideas about healing, identity, and the experiences of working-class women.

Artists Connected to MCCLA

Many notable artists have been involved with the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.

See also

• Chicano art movement
• List of museums in the San Francisco Bay Area
• List of San Francisco Designated Landmarks
• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Francisco