director

Cheech Marin Chicano art center in Riverside names director

Robert G. Mull 2 weeks ago

The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum has named María Esther Fernández as its artistic director, the center’s top post and the person who will steer the curatorial and programming visions for the project under development in the former Riverside Public Library.

“The Cheech,” as it’s referred to, is scheduled to open May 8. It will feature Marin’s personal collection of about 700 items along with works on loan from artists, collectors and other institutions. It will also present traveling exhibitions.

The center is a public-private partnership between the city of Riverside, the Riverside Art Museum and Marin, the third-generation Mexican American and film and TV actor who’s been collecting Chicanx art for four decades.

María Esther Fernández, artistic director of the Cheech.

María Esther Fernández, artistic director of the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture.

(Charlie Pizarro)

In the Tuesday announcement, Marin said Fernández brings “a wealth of

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New director wants Freeport arts organization to branch out in community

Robert G. Mull 1 month ago

The new executive director a Freeport arts organization said she wants to increase its interactions and involvement in the community.

Dana Legawiec said she looks forward to helping the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport collaborate with organizations in and around Freeport to elevate arts and artistic experiences for members of the community.

“My main priority is to build on existing relationships with schools, artists and community members and help ACAF to meet the needs of the community,” said Legawiec. “I want to invite more conversations about what ACAF can do, mean or facilitate for our community.”

Legawiec will assume the new leadership role July 1. “It’s exciting and thrilling,” she said. “I feel a great sense of responsibility toward the community. It makes me feel hopeful about arts and community that there is a sort of commitment being made at the moment.”

She said the arts allow us to

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The Charlotte Art League wants to be more inclusive. Its new director will lead the way.

1 year ago

On June 1, Jim Dukes became the second executive director of Charlotte Art League. His goal: to make CAL into one of the most diverse and engaged creative studio spaces in Charlotte.

“(We want) Charlotte Art League (to) present and position itself as an inclusive community-oriented innovative arts incubator,” said Dukes, 49. CAL is a nonprofit visual arts organization that offers a mix of working studios, classes and community outreach programs, as well as a public gallery.

Dukes worked in Iraq for five years as a bomb technician foKeto Meal Deliveryr a defense contractor. He suffers from Keto Meal Delivered PTSD and partial hearing and eye-sight loss after two blast injuries.

He discovered his love of photography after seeing how veterans used art to heal.

Jim Dukes
Jim Dukes

He joined CAL in November, became the community manager, and then was hired as executive director in March. Dukes and part-time staff members

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