Working Within and For the Latino Community
MAS Cultura provides culturally enriched events, creates opportunities for Latino artists, and advocates for better policies and representation within local cultural programs.
Bringing Events and Investment to our Latino Neighborhoods
In a rapidly growing Austin, our historic Latino communities are often overlooked and underinvested. We don’t want to simply preserve these vital cultural communities, but to help them thrive as an essential part of the contemporary city.
Lowrider Car Show
MAS Cultura recognizes Lowriding as an expression of Art and an important part of our Cultura. We organized the Lowrider Car Show during Latino Art WKND 2021 at the iconic Tamale House in East Austin.
Austin residents and spectators were able to admire the cars, meet the owners, ask questions, and learn about the cars and the culture.
Photo by Jay Ybarra
Showcasing Latino Artists
As part of our support in helping to curate and project manage Latino Art WKND 2021, MAS Cultura showcased central Texas artists of color. From artworks to musical performances, the event resulted in over $15,000 given directly to Latino artists and performers, while offering a valuable platform to showcase their work to the broader Austin community.
Photo by Erik Velázquez
“The guidance, direction and dedication of Monica Maldonado and her team is undeniably inspiring and motivating. Through community involvement and inclusion this organization continues to accomplish projects that others haven't. Looking forward to supporting MAS Cultura and pushing the culture forward in any way we can.”
— Jay and Riki Rivera from Laced and Found, LLC
Connecting Latino Artists to the Resources They Need
We ensure that Latino artists have access to the resources and funding they need to thrive, and representation within our cities cultural programs. We help artists navigate grants, showcase their work, and have the opportunities they deserve.
Project Connect
MAS Cultura worked with Cap Metro to support a commissioned Commemorative Project Connect Art piece. We connected artists from the community with the organization, and provided support in managing the project, resulting in a valued paid commission for original artwork from a Latino artist from the Dove Springs community.
Photo by Monica Maldonado
“MAS Cultura has genuinely been the greatest experience I’ve been honored to be a part of. Their outreach has amassed a true following within the Latino community here in Austin, and even beyond that.
I was a part of one of their art shows, and even secured a contract with Capital Metro with their help. Monica Maldonado made sure that I was taken care of and had all the resources I could ask for during that project, from setting up 1-on-1 interviews with community leaders, to making sure that we also included Latino business owners for replication of my artwork.
There are good people over at MAS Cultura.”
— Jonathan Diaz, artist
Ensuring Latino Art Remains Vital to Austin
Latino art is an essential element of Austin’s cultural heritage, and its future. We ensure that Latino artists and our community remain a central part of Austin’s heart and soul, from city-wide events to the organizations that represent Austin to the world.
Austin FC
The Austin FC “Grow the Legend” motto showcases Austin’s legends, culture, and is a call to build on the evolving identity of a growing city. MAS Cultura worked with the new soccer team to celebrate and more meaningfully involve the Latino community in their fanbase and club culture, including helping organize the lowrider caravan with Austin FC’s Verde Listos.
Photo by Jay Ybarra
“Monica and MAS Cultura give Latino artists in the Austin community a voice and a platform to be heard and valued. The whole Austin community is better because of the work MAS Cultura has done and will continue to do. We are so grateful for Monica’s leadership, kindness, and advocacy and can’t wait to see all the ways MAS Cultura continues to amplify the voices of the artist community!”
— Kelsey Lammy, CapMetro
Advocating for Latino Art and Communities
We work with our city’s representatives to advance policies in support of Latino artists and our neighborhoods. We make sure that the Latino community has an impactful voice within Austin and the cultural programs promoted by the city.
“The mission of MAS Cultura is critical to the development and preservation of historically underrepresented Latino communities. We must continue to amplify projects like these so that we may not only strengthen but also celebrate the cultural diversity that defines our communities in Austin.”
— Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes, City of Austin
On this page: top photo by Jay Ybarra and bottom photo by Melanie Dearco