El Museo del Barrio
Program: Access to Arts
Area of Work: Arts
Grant Purpose: General Support
Overview
Founded more than 50 years ago by artist Raphael Montañez Ortiz and a coalition of Puerto Rican parents, educators, artists, and activists, as a response to demands for increased diversity in school curriculum, El Museo del Barrio is the nation’s first Latinx and Latin American cultural institution. Through its extensive Permanent Collection, varied exhibitions and publications, bilingual public programs, educational activities, festivals, and special events, the Museum welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the art and culture of Puerto Ricans and all Latin Americans in the U.S.
Grant
Purpose: To support El Museo del Barrio’s general operations, enabling them to continue to present critically acclaimed exhibitions, offer free family programs and cultural celebrations such as Three Kings’ Day Parade, as well as other bilingual educational and public programs for New Yorkers each year.
El Museo also cultivates access partnerships with groups with special needs, like those with Alzheimer’s and on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. 60% of the museum’s audience is of Latin American heritage, and as many as 80% of El Museo’s education and public programs are Spanish-speaking families from East Harlem, The Bronx, Bushwick, Corona and Washington Heights.
