BEACON – During the month of September, 2018, the Howland Cultural Center proudly celebrates its 23rd annual art exhibition of Latino American Artists of the Hudson Valley. The exhibit, Together, We Celebrate, had an opening reception on Saturday, September 1st.
The exhibit will show from September 1 through 30 featuring nineteen artists representing their Hispanic heritage from seven Spanish speaking The artists, Jose Acosta, Salvador Arellano, Paul Arts, Emil Figueroa, Audrey Francis, Jose Gomez, Bea Gustafson, Maria Lago, Ramon Lascano, Raphael Lopez, Nestor Madalengoitia, Arquimedes Mejia, Wilfredo Morel, Sergio Perez, Joseph Pimentel, Fels Santos, Marisa del Pozo Slick, Julia Santos Solomon, and Juan E. Gonzalez-Soto, provide a diversity of expression and creativity with their artworks of paintings, sculpture, and photography. Many of these artists are well-known in the Hudson Valley and have been the recipients of awards as prestigious as the Dutchess County Executive’s Award, listing in Who’s Who in Women Artists, and invited to show in galleries, museums, and consulates nationally and internationally.
The formal recognition of Hispanic Americans began in 1968 when Congress authorized President Lyndon Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, and later, in 1988, expanded by President Ronald Reagan to a month-long recognition and celebration honoring the nation‘s Hispanic heritage and culture. The 2010 Census reported that people of Hispanic and/or Latino origin numbered 50.5 million or 16% of the national population as compared to the 2000 Census which registered the Hispanic population at 135.3 million or 13% of the total U.S. population indicating Hispanics are the nation’s largest minority group. The Statistics Portal estimated in 2017 the Hispanic population for Dutchess County was 295,568 from the New York State statistic of 3.748 million, ranking New York State third in the largest population nationally.
The Howland Cultural Center takes pride and pleasure in drawing attention to the diversity and talents of Latino-American artists, and, also, to celebrate the rich, cultural traditions of generations of the Hispanics which have had profound and positive influences on the development, character, and success of this nation.
Visitors may view the art exhibition every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Exceptions to this schedule are on Sundays, September 16 & 30, when the art gallery will be closed to the viewing public for concerts: Julliard String Quartet & Telegraph Quartet.
For further information and/or directions, please call the Howland Cultural Center at (845) 831-4988 or visit: www.howlandculturalcenter.org or facebook.com/howlandcenterbeacon