The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) in Albuquerque will mark its 25th anniversary this fall with a series of events and exhibitions. The celebration begins on October 25, featuring live music, dance performances, guided art tours, and other activities that highlight Hispanic art and culture.
“With our 25th anniversary celebration coming up in October, the Center is pulling out all the stops to bring a mix of performances, art exhibitions, film screenings and more for our community to enjoy this fall,” said National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) Executive Director Zack Quintero. “We’re proud to honor our past, celebrate the present, and share a new vision together as we look ahead to the future.”
In advance of the main event in October, NHCC will open its newest art exhibition, "What We Bring to the Table," on September 5 at the Visual Arts Museum. This exhibition features works by NHCC staff members and acknowledges their contributions over the past 25 years. Another ongoing exhibition this season is "Voces del Pueblo: Artists of the Levantamiento Chicano in New Mexico."
September programming includes two free film screenings: "Bless Me, Ultima" on September 6 and "Las Tres Sisters" on September 11 at the Bank of America Theatre. The History and Literary Arts team will also host an author event for A. Gabriel Melendez’s new book "Citizens by Treaty/Ciudadanos por tratado," focusing on works from Spanish-speaking people of Mexican descent who became U.S. citizens after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
On September 15, NHCC will partner with the Consulate of Mexico for a Mexican Independence Day celebration featuring traditional elements such as el Grito de Independencia, dance performances, and local vendors.
October’s schedule brings collaborative performing arts events. Starting October 8, NHCC teams up with Vortex Theatre for plays including "Cebollas" and "Chimichangas & Zoloft." In partnership with Opera Southwest, NHCC will host "Dolores," an opera based on labor activist Dolores Huerta's life during the Delano grape strike in 1968.
Throughout autumn, NHCC’s education programs include monthly ¡Vamos! Free Family Fun workshops—such as tortilla artmaking—and adult art sessions like Happy Arte Hour featuring artists Roberta Marquez and Shannon Bay from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. The annual Día de Familia: Día de los Muertos event allows families to participate in holiday traditions like creating ofrendas and decorating sugar skulls.
A complete list of fall events can be found at nhccnm.org/events.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center operates as part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Its mission is to preserve and promote Hispanic culture through year-round programming in history, literary arts, performing arts, and visual arts across its multi-acre campus that includes museums and educational facilities.
