Silicon Valley Latino Arts Center Presents Multicultural Performances and Exhibits.

San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Plaza (MHP) launches an innovative new season of visual and performing arts redefining its cultural and arts programming at the First Annual “Una Noche de Honor”–“Evening of Honors, presented by Comcast” on March 29, 2006.

Una Noche de Honor will pay tribute to the lifetime endeavors of ten distinguished honorees who have set a standard of excellence in support of Latino and multicultural arts in the region and nationally.

Leadership honorees include Former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer and MHP co-founders Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado and San Jose attorney Fernando Zazueta.

Visual Arts honorees are Susan and the late Luis Cervantes, founders of Precita Eyes, the vanguard San Francisco mural arts group.

Performing Arts honorees are San Jose’s nationally renowned Chicano theatre company Teatro Vision and Mariachi Azteca, who pioneered the sound of mariachi music in Silicon Valley.

Arts Education honorees are Dr. Susan Cashion and Ramon Morones, founders of Los Lupenos de San Jose, a pioneer team leading the nation in celebration of folklorico ballet.

The Plaza’s Honors gala is an unparalleled evening. For millions of Silicon Valley and Bay Area arts lovers it will be one of the year’s crowning events, paying tribute to our region and nation’s preeminent Latino and multicultural arts leaders.

New Programming at the Mexican Heritage Plaza

Mexican Heritage Plaza’s new season consists of six new programming categories.

6 New Programming Categories: Insightful, innovative multi-disciplinary arts programs including:

— Performing arts (Club San Jose)–music, dance and theater
— Visual arts (Luminarios)–gallery exhibitions
— Arts and lectures (Salon de Mexico)–conversations with artists, writers, performers, and public figures
— Media arts (Cine del Mundo)–film series;
— Community festivals (Festival Bellas Artes)
— Arts education (Ensenazas)

2006 Season Highlights

On the Plaza Main Stage, the New Season kicks off with two productions by the Plaza’s resident theatre companies — SJMAG/Tabia present “The Dance on Widow’s Row” February 17-26, 2006 and Teatro Vision opens the first quarter with Playwright Luis Alfaro’s take on Sophocles’ Electra, transforming the kingdom and lords of ancient Greece into the barren streets of a Central Valley barrio in Electricidad, on the Plaza main stage March 9-April 2, 2006.

In La Galeria, the first West Coast museum exhibition of internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Wosene Worke Kosrof will open on April 22, 2006. This will be the first exhibition at the MHP to focus exclusively on the work of an African/Ethiopian contemporary artist in a Latino

context. Featuring over 35 paintings created in the United States over the past three decades, the exhibition will be curated by Stanford University Assistant Professor of Art History Dr. Barbaro Martinez-Ruiz and Dr. Allyson Purpura Assistant Professor at George Washington University and will trace Wosene’s personal journey which will resonate with the broader concerns of multiculturalism and identity in the Bay Area.

In our Pavilion, the Festival Bellas Artes de Cesar Chavez, is a month-long celebration of Cesar Chavez’ legacy and his love of the arts, highlighting the Sounds of Cesar Chavez’ Music Library–A Special Big Band “Double-Play” featuring a concert by one of Cesar’s favorite groups–The Glenn Miller Orchestra, at the MHP Theatre April 7, followed by the contemporary Latino big band Tito Garcia y Su Orquesta Internacional on Saturday, April 8. On April 23, 2006 the Plaza Presents–A Celebration of Cesar Chavez’ Love of Literature–A Family Literacy Fair, co-hosted by Grail Family Services, at the MHP, with a special appearance by noted Children’s Book Author and Performer Jose Luis Orozco.

In our Plaza courtyard, our new concert series, Pachanga! kicks off the Cinco de Mayo holiday with Mexico’s super hit duo Sin Bandera–fresh off the best seller charts and on tour performing selections from their hit album, Manana.

Multi-disciplinary Arts Programming at the Mexican Heritage Plaza

The Plaza’s multi-disciplinary artistic program blends in-house productions with collaborative partnerships to create a rich palette of theatre, concerts, film and gallery offerings to San Jose, Silicon Valley and Bay Area audiences. The Plaza celebrates Mexican culture and illuminates and explores both the diversity within Mexico, the influence of Mexican culture on other communities worldwide, as well as international communities on the culture of Mexico, through the visual, performing and media arts. MHP programming illuminates the passionate cadence of Mexican music, the complexity of Mexico’s history and diversity, and the unique contributions of a culture, which both literally and figuratively forms the underlying architecture of present day American life.