Item 2. Staff Report — original pdf
Backup
11.5.26 MACC Staff Report Website - Facebook – Instagram Please share our social media posts, sign up for our newsletter, and check out our upcoming events! Signature Events Past: Dia de Muertos/ Day of the Dead Sunday, November 1st 1-6pm 5,000+ attendees Our hearts are full! The @Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center held its annual Día de los Muertos event on Sunday, November 1st . The celebration celebrates life and death not as opposites, but as a continuous cycle, creating a joyful space to remember our loved ones. It was amazing to finally host this event at the MACC again, in the newly expanded building that just reopened in June 2026. It offered even more space for the beautiful “ofrendas”, which are altars that community members created in honor of deceased ancestors, family, friends, and public figures. The ofrendas offer a space to share loss, celebrate heritage, and turn individual remembrance into a collective experience. The ofrendas remain on display at the MACC through November 7 and are free and open to visit! Visitors at the MACC’s Day of the Dead celebration on November 1st activated the ofrendas and they grew throughout the day as people added photographs, marigolds (cempasúchil), candles, fruit, and mementos. We saw families enjoying the hands-on activities like sugar skull decorating, flower crown making, pan de muerto workshops, face painting, and art installations. The afternoon featured dance and music performances, local vendors and, artisans, and plenty of hands-on activations like Loteria. We saw so many folks enjoying themselves both newcomers and long-time residents. People discovered the MACC for the first time during this special afternoon full of beautiful sights, sounds, and colorful activations that preserve Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latino/a/e traditions. Thank you to all who participated! Comments from Social Media on the Day of the Dead event: “Such a fun experience...our first time there. Thank you to all the organizers!-Pinkie Villanueva “Love what you do for our culture and our community”- Sandra Gonzalez “So much fun, congratulations...fabulous job MACC staff and volunteers! The food was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed shopping at all the vendors! Plus the entertainment, the performers, and all the activities were amazing, great job!”- Alicia Barrientos “Great to have you back!”- Enedelia Obregon “Congratulations on keeping the culture of our heritage alive and all the hard work that goes into it. God bless you all.”- Eubaldemar Jaquez “I absolutely enjoyed it so much! The decorations, the ofrendas, the entire organization of this event was beautiful! I met some of the most beautiful people and it was easy to see how proud they were to a part of the MACC. Thank you!”- Angel, Instagram “We may not have captured every moment, but the memories we made were everything! Between squeezing lemons, limes and keeping our community refreshed, we were BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! What an honor it was to celebrate Día de los Muertos alongside OUR beautiful Austin community at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center! A HUGE thank you to the incredible @esbmacc staff for pouring so much love, dedication, and hard work into bringing such a meaningful and beautiful celebration to life. Every detail was a reflection of the love and pride our community carries for its culture and traditions. We are beyond grateful to have been a small part of something so special and look forward to building more beautiful memories and future partnerships with ESB-MACC! From our familia to yours, gracias por tanto amor!- Limon y Sal Lemonade “Día de los Muertos at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center was beautiful. The colors, the music, the ceremonies, and even the sky all showed up to make the day magical. There is something powerful about gathering in community to remember those who came before us, especially those who passed down the courage and strength we carry today. Today, I honored my grandmother, Gloria Rodriguez Jimenez, by lighting a candle and speaking her name with love. She no longer walks beside me, but her love, her lessons, and her strength live on in me. Something beautiful happened today. I remembered my grandmother, and for once, my heart didn't ache. Instead, I smiled and thought, she would love all the things I'm up to these days. Thank you to every person who helped create such a beautiful altar and a space for remembrance. Your efforts helped heal my heart just a little more. Mil gracias. “ - Gloria Bedolla Casa de la Cultura Past: Hecho en Casa: Pan de Muerto Saturday, Oct 3rd | 10:30AM – 12:30PM This October, Casa De La Cultura - Hecho en Casa series invited the community to gather around the table for a special pan de muerto cooking demonstration celebrating traditions of Dia de Los Muertos. Participants learned about the history and significance of this beloved seasonal bread while watching a hands-on demonstration of how it’s prepared shaped and baked! Manos a la Obra: Sugar Skull Workshops Tuesdays, Oct 6th – Oct 20th | 6:30PM – 8:30PM This season, Manos a la obra invites you to explore the vibrant traditions of Día de Muertos through hands-on art activities and workshops. You will learn about the cultural significance of the holiday while creating traditional artwork, including sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar) and papier-mâché decorations and figures. The program offers a creative space to celebrate remembrance, heritage, and community through art. Colorin Colorado: Family Storytime Tuesday, Oct 13th | 10:30AM – 12:00PM Mariposas and Migration Join us for a story time that introduces families to singing canciones, playing games, and engaging with stories that reflect the beauty of language, identity, family, and cultural traditions. Colorin Colorado is perfect for toddlers who love to wiggle, clap, dance, and imagine. This month, families read the book “Señorita Mariposa” by Ben Gundersheime and made pollinator stations for the butterflies in migration. Tu Voz en Escena: Your Voice on Stage Thursdays, Oct 15th – Oct 29th | 6:00PM – 9:00PM Join Teatro Vivo for a series of performer workshops that is focused on acting, singing, and dancing - culminating in the chance to participate in their annual Pastorela! Through accessible, beginner-friendly instruction, students of all ages will receive training in performance techniques that are culturally-specific to Latinx theatre and storytelling. ¡Cuéntame! - Open Mic Friday, Oct 16th | 6:00PM – 8:00PM Leyendas and Myths ¡Cuéntame! is a bilingual open mic night celebrating stories, voices, creativity, and self-expression in both English and Spanish. October’s theme was Leyendas and Myths! Participants shared songs and poems about brujas and loved ones. All experience levels are welcome—this is a space to share, connect, and be heard. Movement Mondays: Yoga Familiar Mondays, Oct 19th – Nov 23rd | 6:30PM – 7:30PM This season, we invite you to participate in Yoga en Familia. This bilingual, family-friendly yoga series is designed for the whole family to stretch, breathe, move, and have fun together. Through playful yoga practices and mindful movement, the program encourages connection, relaxation, and healthy living in a supportive community setting. Tlalmanalli Workshop: Sawdust Dying Monday, Oct 19th | 6:30PM – 8:30PM Community members were able to be a part of our Nochipa Installation for Dia de los Muertos. Artist Laura Yohualtlahuiz taught participants how to prepare the sawdust for the Tlamanalli (tapete). They dyed and prepared sawdust for our community pyramid during this workshop! Cine Familiar: “In Tow” Friday Oct 23rd | 6:00PM – 8:00PM Cine Familiar is a family film program that brings people together through the power of movies. The program creates a welcoming space where families and community members can watch films, enjoy time together, and connect through shared stories. Cine Familiar features films that celebrate culture, family, identity, and the experiences that bring us closer together. IN TOW is an action-adventure short film dramedy directed by Sharon Arteaga that takes its audience on an emotional ride through fluctuating mother-daughter dynamics and different responses to poverty that can happen under one roof: with exhaustion on one end and an obsession to live beyond one's means on the other. The film’s added complexity is that it is set in the tense divide that often forms between first- generation kids and their immigrant parents. Ultimately, IN TOW is a dramedy about losing home and rediscovering it through situations that you least expect. The program also featured local mental health organizations, Colors of Austin and Con Safos Counseling, which shared resources and led engaging, conversation-starting activities for families to take home and continue together. Roots and Wings Festival: Raices de la Pradera Satuday, Oct 24th | 10:30PM – 12:30PM In celebration of Austin’s Roots and Wings Festival, the ESB MACC Casa de la Cultura community gathered for a nature-filled morning as they installed a native pollinator garden in the Education wing playground! Volunteers installed native plants pocket prairie to foster a resilient, climate-ready urban landscape. A pocket prairie is a small, intentionally created area of native plants that mimics a natural prairie ecosystem, providing habitat for wildlife and ecological benefits in urban or suburban spaces. After a morning of hard work, participants played a custom, culturally rooted version of Loteria to learn about our ancestral, historical, and medicinal connections to local biodiversity. Finally, they were able to create and take home seed “masa” balls. Seed “masa” blends native wildflower seeds into a nutrient-rich soil and clay mixture. This event was made possible thanks to Austin’s Roots and Wings Festival, The Natural Gardener, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and Herbal Action Project. Caminata con Calma – Trick or Treat on the Trail Saturday, Oct 31st | 10:00AM – 12:00PM Together we'll stroll the trail surrounding the MACC while discovering the stories, public art, and rich history that make this space so special—de poquito a poquito. This month, join us for a trick-or-treat themed caminata, with candy stations from local organizations. Costumes are highly encouraged! Upcoming: Manos a la Obra: Paper Mache Calaveras Tuesdays, Oct 27th – Nov 11th | 6:30PM – 8:30PM This season, Manos a la obra invites you to explore the vibrant traditions of Día de Muertos through hands-on art activities and workshops. You will learn about the cultural significance of the holiday while creating traditional artwork, including sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar) and papier-mâché decorations and figures. The program offers a creative space to celebrate remembrance, heritage, and community through art. Movement Mondays: Yoga Familiar Mondays, Oct 19th – Nov 23rd | 6:30PM – 7:30PM This season, we invite you to participate in Yoga en Familia. This bilingual, family-friendly yoga series is designed for the whole family to stretch, breathe, move, and have fun together. Through playful yoga practices and mindful movement, the program encourages connection, relaxation, and healthy living in a supportive community setting. Hecho en Casa: Healthy Holidays Saturday, Nov 7th | 10:30AM – 12:30PM Sabores que nos reúnen / Comfort, Culture & Connection Learn to prepare a comforting butternut squash soup topped with toasted pepitas—a seasonal dish for the Thanksgiving table. The bilingual demonstration will include practical cooking techniques, affordable ingredient substitutions, and conversation about food, family, and holiday traditions. Participants will receive a soup tasting portion and a bilingual take-home recipe. Colorin Colorado: Family Storytime Tuesday, Nov 10th | 10:30AM – 12:00PM Food and Traditions Join this month’s Colorin Colorado as they read “Las Tortillas de mi Abuela” by Jenny Tavarez. Families will have the chance to make their own masa and press tortillas with their little toddler tortilleros. Colorin Colorado is perfect for toddlers who love to wiggle, clap, dance, and imagine. ¡Cuéntame! - Open Mic Friday, Nov 20th | 6:00PM – 8:00PM Stories of past loved ones ¡Cuéntame! is a bilingual open mic night celebrating stories, voices, creativity, and self-expression in both English and Spanish. Whether you want to share a poem, song, story, comedy, personal reflection, spoken word, or something completely your own, we invite you to take the mic y cuéntanos algo. Submissions can be in English, Spanish, or a mix of both. ¡Anímate, toma el micrófono y cuéntanos tu historia! Past: Exhibits Recent gallery improvements create a more accessible, welcoming and engaging visitor experience. A reconfigured entrance allows easier access and navigation, while larger signage and additional stanchions help protect artwork and clarify visitor boundaries. New QR signage at both entrances connects visitors with upcoming events, newsletter sign-ups, and social media. Current: Mitote- on view through 12/31/26, Sam Z. Coronado Gallery Ofrendas for Gil Cardenas and Sam Z Coronado - On view through 11/7/26. Dia de los Muertos Community Ofrenda Exhibit| Atrium Gallery - On view through 11/7/26) The community ofrenda exhibit features 22 ofrendas created by longtime community participants, including the Barrientos family; organizations like Tejano Genealogy, Cine Las Americas and staff; as well as community members honoring loved ones for the first time at the MACC. A video display shares information about Dia de Muertos and the MACC’s history of celebrating the tradition, connecting visitors with its cultural significance and community legacy. Outdoor community ofrendas line the upstairs walkway as well. The ofrendas are placed throughout the MACC: In the gallery upstairs: Sam Coronado & Gil Cardenas in the Sam Z. Coronado Gallery Outside upstairs: Altar for Frida Kahlo by Olivia Tamzarian @frida4eva Family ofrenda by Yliana Lara The Verde Community by Gissela SantaCruz Ofrenda for family and friends by Cindy Aguas Altar for friends and family by Ashleigh Woolf Altar for Vanessa Guillen by Valerie Guillen Caminos Teen Mental Health Altar, upstairs inside the office, by Caminos In the Atrium (entrance to the Auditorium) Emma S. Barrientos by Alicia Barrientos Uvalde victims by EDU MACC staff Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin Latine/x and Indigenous filmmakers, artists, and storytellers by Cine las Americas Altar for his parents by Ulises Garcia Vela Altar for her grandparents by Bertha Ortiz Altar for her grandfather by Julie Cantu Altar for Brown Berets by Elisa Rendon Montoya Altar for Tony Gonzales by Lori Gonzales Altar for her father by Beatriz Santa Ana Altar for her husband, father and brother by Anita Villalobos Altar for Cepeda Herrera & Perez Ramos Families by Jacqueline Ramos Altar for deceased veterans by Dolores Martinez Altar for Eusebio Gonzalez by Alejandra Gonzalez Altar for their grandmother by Alex Garza Altar for their family members by Bianca Olivares Reyes Altar for their family members by Rosa Mercado-Carrasquilla Altar for their parents by Grace Rivera Altar for their family members by Andrea Casares Ofrenda / Tapete/ Aztec Pyramid by Laura Yohualtlahuiz Las Piñatas Masks and Piñata Installations for Dia de los Muertos from Latinos in Architecture (On view through 11/7/26) Upcoming: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave Veterans Exhibition with Franklin Mendez | Community Gallery (On view 10/31 - 12/31/26) Opening Reception: Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Vietnam Veteran, Marine and Master Painter Franklin Mendez brings his 50 portraits series representing a veteran from each of the 50 states to the Community Gallery. The opening reception has 120 RSVP’d and includes Tejanos in Action Color Guard, music from Jorge Tamayo, a ceremony, followed by a visit to the community gallery to view the exhibition. Youth and Family Education Past: Free Museum Day at the Bob Bullock Museum 10/4 Provided a Dia de Muertos inspired activity for families. 456 Families decorated a sugar skull ornament and received information about MACC programming. Career Fair Leander Middle School 10/8 Presented information on the work of a government employee and presented information about cultural centers with a spotlight on the MACC and MACC programming. Over 125 students received a sugar skull ornament to decorate. Colorin Colorado: Family Storytime Tuesday, Oct 13th | 10:30AM – 12:00PM Mariposas and Migration MACC EDU collaboration with Casa de la Cultura. EDU staff leads the story time and provides an activity that enhances learning. Colorin Colorado introduces families to singing canciones, playing games, and engaging with stories that reflect the beauty of language, identity, family, and cultural traditions. Colorin Colorado is perfect for toddlers who love to wiggle, clap, dance, and imagine. This month, families read the book “Señorita Mariposa” by Ben Gundersheime and made pollinator stations for the butterflies in migration. Austin and Nature Center: Roots and Wings Festival 10/17 EDU outreach staff participated in Roots and Wings festival and provided information about dia de muertos along with an activity for over 152 families. Sammy’s House 10/22 Sammy’s House is a child care center that provides care to special needs children regardless of their diagnosis. EDU provided information about MACC programming, dia de muertos, financial aid for city of Austin spring and summer camps and ended our time decorating sugar skulls. Jeremiah Program Fall Fest 10/29 Jeremiah Program provides housing, child care and scholarships to single Mom’s in the Austin area. EDU provided information about the MACC and a fun dia de muertos activity. Perez Elementary Fall Fest 10/30 EDU provided information about MACC programming and a fun dia de muertos activity. Sabados en Familia 10/31 Provided our monthly programming in collaboration with the MexAmeriCon. EDU provided a workshop on, “A History of Latine Superheroes.” EliaMaria Madrid, Mischievous Magda y El Cucuy and Frederick Luis Aldama, "Con Papa/With Papa" read for families after presentation and we ended our time decorating superhero capes. Upcoming: Jeremiah Program 11/4 We are returning to Jeremiah Program to provide more in-depth information to families and staff about MACC programming, financial aid for city of Austin camps and we will end out time decorating sugar skulls. Colorin Colorado: Family Storytime Tuesday, Nov 10th | 10:30AM – 12:00PM Join this month’s Colorin Colorado as EDU staff reads “Las Tortillas de mi Abuela” by Jenny Tavarez. Families will have the chance to make their own masa and press tortillas with their little toddler tortilleros. Colorin Colorado is perfect for toddlers who love to wiggle, clap, dance, and imagine. Gattis Elementary Multi-cultural Night 11/17 Multi-cultural night celebration. EDU will provide information on Mexican culture. Caminos Teen Leadership Program Past: Caminos Teen Leadership Program Teens created costumes representing the altar elements for the Viva La Vida Parade and participated in the parade as an opportunity to connect with Austin Families that addended. After the parade teens viewed the Mexi Arte museum gallery and the Altars that were located outside of the museum. Caminos Teens have been preparing and learning about the altar elements and what they mean. This year the caminos teens decided to have an altar dedicated to teen mental health at our Dia De Los Muertos event. The teens hope that it allowed others to remember loved ones and create conversation related to mental health struggles among young people. The Caminos Teens helped by providing cards and materials to make flowers to those who wanted to leave positive words for young people on the altar and make a flower to remember them. Caminos Teens also helped prep the beautiful decorations and provided support by helping with face painting and helping families with sugar skulls. Upcoming: Caminos Team leads will also be participating in the Teen College & Career fair at Palmer Events Center on November 10. The city brings in thousands of teens to learn about opportunities for future employment. We will spread the word about the ESB-Macc programs and Caminos Teen Leadership Program. Caminos Calendar for November is below. Outreach & Marketing Past: CityWorks Academy Oct 12, 5-8pm 35 attendees This weekly group gives Austinites a glimpse into the inner workings of City government. They learn about governmental processes through a series of engaging weekly classes. In October, we gave them a tour of the MACC and a presentation on ACME and the MACC. One of the participants who really connected with the presentation actually signed up to make one of the ofrendas in our gallery! Mexican American Studies at UT Oct 14, 5-8pm 200 attendees Austin Hispanic Latino Network Event at Fiesta Gardens Oct 15, 11:30-1:30pm 300 attendees Mexic-Arte Museum Saturday, Oct 24, 12pm-6pm 10,000 attendees We attended Mexic-Arte Viva la Vida festival on October 24th and passed out flyers for our Day of the Dead event. The Caminos Teens, Senderistas (mentors), MACC staff, and two members of ACME staff also attended. We had a great presence and managed to connect with so many folks! Oakwood Cemetery Friday, Oct 20 6-8:30pm 150 attendees We offered lighting and decorations, information and free face painting at Oakwood Cemetery on October 30th. It was a gathering of local East Austin families including the Herrera and Limon families. Cemeteries helped organize the event, along with Hermelinda Zamarripa. Marketing: We did interviews with local news stations to promote our Day of the Dead event. We did a paid collaboration with local Tiktok influencer Patrick Diaz for a TikTok Video. We placed paid ads in the Austin Chronicle. We listed the event on websites like Visit Austin, Do512, Eventbrite, etc. We did extensive social media promotion leading up to the event with information on what to do and see and how to participate, including an open call for altars and a call for volunteers. We placed flyers for the event in libraries, rec centers, schools, and at other events all over Austin and encouraged our event partners and vendors to post. Interviews: Univision with Blanca Gaytan 10/13 KOOP Radio with Tracey L. Schulz 10/19 CBS AUSTIN with Trevor and Sierra 10/30 KXAN with Chelsea Moreno 10/30 Past: Tours Tours have been busy! We continue to offer tours for all age groups. Wholesome Generation School on October 28th. We talked about preserving history and cultural traditions. We made our own altars inspired by the elements that we discussed in the exhibit. We toured with IDEA Montopolis- with 50 students on October 16th. Students reflected on heritage and identity. Upcoming: We have a tour with the City Clerks Office November 6. We have a tour with a Taylor ISD middle school group this Saturday, November 7th. They are making a special trip to Austin to learn about Day of the Dead on the last day of our altar exhibit. Signature Events Past: Dia de Muertos/ Day of the Dead Sunday, November 1st 1-6pm 5,000+ attendees Our hearts are full! The @Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center held its annual Día de los Muertos event on Sunday, November 1st . The celebration celebrates life and death not as opposites, but as a continuous cycle, creating a joyful space to remember our loved ones. It was amazing to finally host this event at the MACC again, in the newly expanded building that just reopened in June 2026. It offered even more space for the beautiful “ofrendas”, which are altars that community members created in honor of deceased ancestors, family, friends, and public figures. The ofrendas offer a space to share loss, celebrate heritage, and turn individual remembrance into a collective experience. The ofrendas remain on display at the MACC through November 7 and are free and open to visit! Visitors at the MACC’s Day of the Dead celebration on November 1st activated the ofrendas and they grew throughout the day as people added photographs, marigolds (cempasúchil), candles, fruit, and mementos. We saw families enjoying the hands-on activities like sugar skull decorating, flower crown making, pan de muerto workshops, face painting, and art installations. The afternoon featured dance and music performances, local vendors and, artisans, and plenty of hands-on activations like Loteria. We saw so many folks enjoying themselves both newcomers and long-time residents. People discovered the MACC for the first time during this special afternoon full of beautiful sights, sounds, and colorful activations that preserve Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latino/a/e traditions. Thank you to all who participated! Performance Schedule: Danza Azteca Guadalupana 1:00 p.m. Festival Introduction: 1:20 p.m. Compa AK 1:35 p.m. Ballet Folklorico MariCruz 2:45 p.m. Catrina Show / Contest 3:00 p.m. Miguel St. Michael 3:40 p.m. Cinco Doce 5:00 p.m. Event Features: Auditorium/ BlackBox: Xochimiquiztli, a Play by Teatro Sin Fronteras Zocalo Stage: Catrina / Catrin Contest Multi Purpose Room: Create Your Own Corona Comments from Social Media on the Day of the Dead event: “Such a fun experience...our first time there. Thank you to all the organizers!-Pinkie Villanueva “Love what you do for our culture and our community”- Sandra Gonzalez “So much fun, congratulations...fabulous job MACC staff and volunteers! The food was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed shopping at all the vendors! Plus the entertainment, the performers, and all the activities were amazing, great job!”- Alicia Barrientos “Great to have you back!”- Enedelia Obregon “Congratulations on keeping the culture of our heritage alive and all the hard work that goes into it. God bless you all.”- Eubaldemar Jaquez “I absolutely enjoyed it so much! The decorations, the ofrendas, the entire organization of this event was beautiful! I met some of the most beautiful people and it was easy to see how proud they were to a part of the MACC. Thank you!”- Angel, Instagram “We may not have captured every moment, but the memories we made were everything! Between squeezing lemons, limes and keeping our community refreshed, we were BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! What an honor it was to celebrate Día de los Muertos alongside OUR beautiful Austin community at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center! A HUGE thank you to the incredible @esbmacc staff for pouring so much love, dedication, and hard work into bringing such a meaningful and beautiful celebration to life. Every detail was a reflection of the love and pride our community carries for its culture and traditions. We are beyond grateful to have been a small part of something so special and look forward to building more beautiful memories and future partnerships with ESB-MACC! From our familia to yours, gracias por tanto amor!- Limon y Sal Lemonade “Día de los Muertos at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center was beautiful. The colors, the music, the ceremonies, and even the sky all showed up to make the day magical. There is something powerful about gathering in community to remember those who came before us, especially those who passed down the courage and strength we carry today. Today, I honored my grandmother, Gloria Rodriguez Jimenez, by lighting a candle and speaking her name with love. She no longer walks beside me, but her love, her lessons, and her strength live on in me. Something beautiful happened today. I remembered my grandmother, and for once, my heart didn't ache. Instead, I smiled and thought, she would love all the things I'm up to these days. Thank you to every person who helped create such a beautiful altar and a space for remembrance. Your efforts helped heal my heart just a little more. Mil gracias. “ - Gloria Bedolla Comments: Upcoming: Austin Energy “Community Connections” Fair Saturday, November 14, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Ojeda Middle School, 78744 Collaborations, Reservations & Rentals Past: Since re-opening in June, the ESB MACC has received upwards of 70 requests for use of our spaces. Demand is clear—artists, non-profits, corporate groups, community members and families have sought out our spaces for a variety of cultural, artistic, and community-centered purposes. For the Month of October, we held 6 community use reservations, 5 internal reservations (teams from other City of Austin departments), 4 rentals (paid), and 2 collaborations. CentroAmericanto October 2-3 Rental The rental we’d like to highlight for October is Centroamericanto, a music and film festival that is very familiar to the MACC. From October 2-3, the festival rented both the Black Box Theater and our Auditorium to serve upwards of 300 community members. The event served 8 artists representing 5 different Central American nationalities, with a celebration of Central American art and culture as the key fixture of the event. We were proud to welcome Centroamericanto back into our doors for a 4th year. Casa TechMex October 29 Collaboration We also hosted TechMex, an annual cultural technology conference and festival held during Austin Tech Week. The event featured keynotes, AI panels, an innovation expo, and a startup pitch competition for Mexican-led or Mexico-rooted companies, as well as a luncheon served in the Cocina. MACC staff got to network with the participants and invite them to Day of the Dead! La Voz Texas and Consul General de Mexico helped promote and gave the day’s introduction. Mexamericon October 31 Collaboration We hosted the 9th annual Mexamericon Comic Con on Halloween! Upcoming: November also kicked off with Election Day, as the ESB MACC was chosen as a polling site for the 2026 general election! The MACC had a website notification about voting and a link to more information. Con Mucho Amor November 6th, 2026 We are renting out the Auditorium to Pudrido Productions who is hosting the event “Con Mucho Amor: A Queer Quinceaneara”. This event aims to provide a safe space for community members to celebrate a cultural tradition that may not have been available to them. There will be food, performances, and dancing all night long. Diego Garcia in Concert November 8th, 2026 Join Diego García for an intimate evening of solo guitar, presenting Backroads of the Americas—a musical journey across Spain, Latin America, and the United States. Rooted in Spanish tradition and shaped by years of travel, his music unfolds like a living map, moving effortlessly between elegance and earthiness, from subtle Latin rhythms to reflective, cinematic melodies.