REGULAR MEETING OF THE EMMA S. BARRIENTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER ADVISORY BOARD WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM 301 W. 2ND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 Some members of the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Michelle Rojas, 512-974-3771, Michelle.Rojas@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Angelica Navarro (D-8), Chair Hilario “Larry” Amaro (D-10), Member Anthony Martinez (D-4), Member Noemi Castro (D-2), Member Lynda Quintana (D-6), Member Alexander “Al” Duarte (D-7), Member Raul “Roy” Reyna (D-1), Member John Estrada (D-3), Member Selma Sanchez (D-9), Member Cynthia “Cy” Herrera (D-5), Member Lillian “Lily” Zamarripa-Saenz (Mayor), Vice Chair AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center regular meeting of November 5, 2025. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing on November, December, and January programs, marketing and outreach efforts, and updates on signature event planning. (Sponsors: Navarro, Zamarripa-Saenz) Presenter(s): Olivia Tamzarian, ESB-MACC Culture and Arts Education Marketing & Outreach Representative, Austin Arts Culture, Music and Entertainment & Michelle Rojas, ESB-MACC Culture and Arts Education Manager, Austin Arts Culture, Music and Entertainment DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. Update on Phase 2 Construction Project. (Sponsors: Quintana, Sanchez) Presenter(s): Heidi Tse, Capital Delivery Project Manager, Austin Capital Delivery Services Community update outlining the history of the Latino arts community and City of Austin funding programs. (Sponsors: Navarro, Zamarripa-Saenz) Presenter(s): Morgan Messick, Economic Development, Assistant Director, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment & Laura Odegaard, Program Manager III, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment Presentation by community members on their experience with Cultural Arts funding. (Sponsors: Navarro, Zamarripa-Saenz) Presenter(s): Luis Ordaz, Hector Ordaz of Proyecto Teatro, Raquel Rivera of SUREM Dance, and Guicha Gutierrez of CasaCostura Presentation by past participants on their experience with the ESB MACC Latino Arts Residency Program. …
ESB-MACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 5, 2025 EMMA S. BARRIENTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER REGULAR MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 5, 2025 The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center convened in a Regular Meeting on November 5, 2025, at 301 W. 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. (Some members of the ESB-MACC Advisory Board participated via videoconference.) Chair Navarro called the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center Meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Angelica Navarro, Hilario “Larry” Amaro, Alexander “Al” Duarte, Lynda Quintana, Selma Sanchez. Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Lillian “Lily” Zamarripa-Saenz (left at 7:40 p.m.), Raul “Roy” Reyna. Board Members Absent: Noemi Castro, John Estrada, Cynthia “Cy” Herrera, Anthony Martinez. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speaker 1: Emilio Zamora, Ph.D., Co-founder, Academia Cuauhtli and University of Texas Professor addressed the Board to provide an update on Academia Cuauhtli’s ongoing activities and noted their intention to report to the Board every three to four months. He provided information on a proposed historical exhibition of the MACC, stating the exhibition would cover the history from the 1970s to the present. He indicated that the written narrative for the exhibition was halfway complete, and they were actively seeking funding to support the project. Dr. Zamora added that the plan would be to present the exhibition following the facility’s reopening. Speaker 2: Gonzalo Barrientos, Former State Senator made a statement to the Board, explaining that he frequently receives inquiries from community members regarding events such as quinceañeras and other celebrations. He stated that he informs callers that the facility is operated by the City of Austin and governed by the MACC Board, clarifying that the center is simply named in honor of his late wife. He offered suggestions regarding oversight of the MACC, emphasizing the roles of governing bodies, staff, and the use of public funds. He expressed his hope that the questions he commonly receives could be answered through clear communication of departmental responsibilities, programs, projects, and future plans. Mr. Barrientos added that he would be willing to return to the Board if they wished to discuss any specific questions further. Speaker 3: Anna Maciel, Former MACC Advisory Board Member spoke to the Board regarding Pan Am Hillside. She expressed her support for the MACC hosting events at the hillside, provided certain conditions were met. Ms. Maciel stressed the importance of unified communication and collaboration among all parties. She …
EMMA S. BARRIENTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER Phase 2 Improvements MACC Advisor y Board Update Heidi Tse Capital Delivery Project Manager January 7, 2026 • Parking : Overflow parking sod installed. Exterior (left) : Concrete is being cleaned in preparation for new seal coat. Exterior (right): Existing stair has been repainted • Auditorium: Control Booth has been painted • Interiors: Pin boards installed in classrooms and meeting rooms. South Addition: Storefront Water test in progress. Reception: Curved window with temporary Plexi-glass installation in progress . Auditorium: Theatrical curtains installed. Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) grants temporary, conditional use of a building for stocking or furnishing before all construction work is fully completed. MACC full building TCO for Stocking as of 11/12/2025 Certificate of Occupancy (CO) that proves a structure is habitable based on its legal use and type of property and meets all building codes. Targeted for Spring 2026 TCO vs CO Estimated Completion The Re-opening may occur sometime between the project’s substantial completion and final completion. Substantial Completion (contractual term) is when the facility is deemed ready to be occupied by the owner, but other minor work still needs to be completed by the contractor. The exact date or alignment of the Re-opening will not be known until construction has significantly progressed. Must achieve TCO at a minimum. The anticipated project completion timeline is: 1. Target Substantial Completion: 11/03/25 11/19/25 12/2025 – 2/2026 2. Target Re-opening Spring 2026 Substantial Completion (Contract Promised Date 9/11/25) : 1. Create Punchlist of work to be remediated • Begin generating official Punchlist with each design discipline for conformity of design intent from December 2025 - January 2026 2. Provide Training for MACC staff on building systems. • Begin December 2025 - January 2026 December 12, 2025 No. of Items recorded: 1,094 January 2, 2026 No. of Items recorded: 2,335 Project Milestones Updates • Ceremonial Groundbreaking: December 10, 2022 • GMP 1 (Site Work) Notice to Proceed issued: August 28, 2023 • GMP 2 (Building / Landscape) Notice to Proceed issued: March 7, 2024 • Steel “Topping Out”: September 11, 2024 • Target Major Construction Ends: February 2025 • Target Stocking: Late February 2026 • Target Staff Move-In: March 2026 • Target Grand Re-Opening: Spring 2026 Emergency Project Square Foot Analysis Questions ?
Look Back at 2025 with the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center As we close out the year, we want to take a moment to share some of our highlights of 2025. Thank you to our MACC community and our collaborative partners! Because of you, we expanded our programming reach to new locations and new audiences! A special thanks goes out to those organizations that hosted our MACC programming in 2025. Thanks to the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, Asian American Resource Center, Dougherty Arts Center! We thank the Parque Zaragoza, Pan Am, and Dove Springs Recreation Centers, our Senior Centers, our Austin Public Libraries and other city sites for hosting us! In 2025 we accomplished quite a lot of firsts! Our Caminos teens created incredible murals in the Pocket Park outside the MACC that tell visitors about the rich cultural history of Mexican Americans in Austin. We explored new places to host our programs. For the first time ever, we held our La Mujer event at the historic Parque Zaragoza Rec Center. We also held our Teen conference at the AARC which allowed us to expand the event to incorporate a dynamite workshop from SaulPaul and to reach even more teens. We collaborated with the annual Grito de la Independencia at Republic Square park and with the Fiesta Reclamada event in May, produced by A3 Art Alliance Austin. In August we collaborated with the Mexican Consulate on a film screening of Pedro Paramo at the Carver. Our collaborations made this possible. Our Education Programs included Spring Break and Summer Camps, afterschool programs, and Breaking Barriers Teen Conference, hosted for the first time at the Asian American Resource Center. We reached a younger audience with Morning Glories in collaboration with Waterloo Greenway. We collaborated with the Dove Springs Community Library for their Noche de Fiesta nights in September and December. Holistic Wellness/ Casa de la Cultura programs provided a wide variety of workshops and classes, including the Day of Wellness at Sunset Community Garden, and Sabados en Familia with Waterloo Greenway. We offered workshops on will writing and, homebuying! We stayed fit with bilingual wellness classes that included self-defense workshops, salsa, bachata, cumbia dance classes, kayaking, swimming, drumming, guitar, and yoga workshops! And we connected with Austinseniors through Cine de Oro and painting classes. Our signature events and annual collaborations kept going strong! We were honored to …
MACC Advisory Board Staff Report January 7, 2026 Casa de la Cultura will offer accessible and inclusive family classes and workshops rooted in preserving Mexican American, Indigenous, and Latino culture and traditions. Each pillar within Casa de la Cultura program will support the presentation of local artists, instructors, and educators. We aim to promote a lifelong curiosity for creating art and the expression of identity. -friendly La Cocina will offer family -friendly culinary workshops and demonstrations. Participants will explore traditional cooking techniques, diverse Latin American flavors, and promote healthy eating practices while preserving authenticity. • La Tamalada/ Tortilla -making Workshops • Cooking Demos • Nutrition classes Tamalada December 6 , 2026 - w/Tamale Addiction Conley Guerreo Senior Center 50 participants Community Partners: Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin Sana Yoga Herbal Action Project Artes Culturales creativity through diverse mediums and styles. Each session encourages artistic expression while highlighting cultural heritage and innovation. hosts art classes that invite participants to explore • Ceramics • Textiles • Cartoneria Danza celebrates rhythm, movement, and the joy of expression. From traditional forms to modern beats, youth and adults alike will connect with culture through motion, music, and dance. • Ballet Folklórico Classes • Social Dance – Cumbia Norteña • Latin folk dance Cine celebrates the art of film through screenings, artist talks, and hands workshops. The program highlights Latin filmmakers, documentaries, and creative storytelling while offering opportunities to learn about filmmaking techniques. -on • Film Screenings • Make -up Workshops • Costume Design Jardín invites participants to get their hands in the soil and connect with the earth. Through volunteer opportunities and educational workshops, the program fosters sustainability, herbal knowledge, and community well -being • Garden Volunteer Workdays • Herbalism and Botanical Classes • Native Plant and Gardening Workshops Música celebrates the vibrant sounds of Latin America through hands music education and creative collaboration. Participants will explore rhythm, melody, and storytelling while building skills in performance. -on • Music Instructional Classes – MACC Conjunto/Mariachi • Songwriting Literatura honors the written word as a powerful expression of identity, memory, and imagination. Participants will engage with culturally relevant works and create their own through reading and writing workshops. • Book Clubs • Storytelling • Poetry Movement promotes physical wellness and self forms of movement. These programs invite participants to reconnect with their bodies, nature, and community via a cultural lens. -expression through diverse • Mindful Movement • …
EMMA S. BARRIENTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER Phase 2 Improvements MACC Advisor y Board Update Heidi Tse Capital Delivery Project Manager January 7, 2026 • Parking : Overflow parking sod installed. Exterior (left) : Concrete is being cleaned in preparation for new seal coat. Exterior (right): Existing stair has been repainted • Auditorium: Control Booth has been painted • Interiors: Pin boards installed in classrooms and meeting rooms. South Addition: Storefront Water test in progress. Reception: Curved window with temporary Plexi-glass installation in progress . Auditorium: Theatrical curtains installed. Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) grants temporary, conditional use of a building for stocking or furnishing before all construction work is fully completed. MACC full building TCO for Stocking as of 11/12/2025 Certificate of Occupancy (CO) that proves a structure is habitable based on its legal use and type of property and meets all building codes. Targeted for Spring 2026 TCO vs CO Estimated Completion The Re-opening may occur sometime between the project’s substantial completion and final completion. Substantial Completion (contractual term) is when the facility is deemed ready to be occupied by the owner, but other minor work still needs to be completed by the contractor. The exact date or alignment of the Re-opening will not be known until construction has significantly progressed. Must achieve TCO at a minimum. The anticipated project completion timeline is: 1. Target Substantial Completion: 11/03/25 11/19/25 12/2025 – 2/2026 2. Target Re-opening Spring 2026 Substantial Completion (Contract Promised Date 9/11/25) : 1. Create Punchlist of work to be remediated • Begin generating official Punchlist with each design discipline for conformity of design intent from December 2025 - January 2026 2. Provide Training for MACC staff on building systems. • Begin December 2025 - January 2026 December 12, 2025 No. of Items recorded: 1,094 January 2, 2026 No. of Items recorded: 2,335 Project Milestones Updates • Ceremonial Groundbreaking: December 10, 2022 • GMP 1 (Site Work) Notice to Proceed issued: August 28, 2023 • GMP 2 (Building / Landscape) Notice to Proceed issued: March 7, 2024 • Steel “Topping Out”: September 11, 2024 • Target Major Construction Ends: February 2025 • Target Stocking: Late February 2026 • Target Staff Move-In: March 2026 • Target Grand Re-Opening: Spring 2026 Emergency Project Square Foot Analysis Questions ?
Funding Programs Update Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment | January 7, 2026 History of Cultural Funding in Austin ▪ Since 1981: Funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) authorized by state law ▪ Impact: Over $125M invested in 870+ artists and arts organizations ▪ 2019 Snapshot: 5 staff managed 600 contracts in one year ▪ Transparency: Explore all HOT Cultural Funding recipients on the City’s Open Data Portal ▪ 2003: Cultural Funding moved from Parks & Recreation to Economic Development Department ▪ 2013–Present: Arts Commission collaborates with staff to update and approve program guidelines ▪ 2019: Austin Live Music Fund Established through Ordinance No 20190919-149 2 Impetus to Revise Funding Guidelines 2017: Cultural Funding Program Responsiveness Working Group 2018: Funding cuts for the first time (11%) COA Equity Statement: Strategic Direction 2023 Problem: Address 50 years of inequitable funding distribution. 3 Concerns of Inequitable Distribution* *Data shows leadership/staff demographics FY15-FY 21 only. We recognize this is only one indicator. 4 Cultural Funding Review Process 5 Creative Sector Pandemic Relief 2020-2022 $23,042,284 Funded 6 Cultural Funding Review Process Report ▪ June 29, 2022 – Arts Commission Approved Pilot Program Guidelines ▪ Summer 2022 QOL Commissions and Council briefed https://www.austintexas.gov/department/cultural-funding 7 Holistic Funding Ecosystem Nexus Nurture new and emerging applicants by funding creative public projects developed through community activation and/or collaboration. Elevate Creative and administrative expenses of cultural producers that amplify equity and prioritize inclusive programming. Thrive Focused investment to sustain and grow arts organizations that are deeply rooted in, and reflective of Austin’s diverse cultures. 8 Pilot Program Investment Outcomes Grantee Investment by Demographics FY2015 - 2021 Grantee Investment by Demographics FY 2023 - 2024 9 Constant Change! • Established February 24, 2025 • AACME focuses on sustaining and growing Austin's creative sector • AACME acts as a central hub for City's cultural ecosystem and provides resources (funding, institutional support, special permits, access to cultural spaces). The Creative Reset: Phase I 12 The Creative Reset - https://publicinput.com/a88770 Spring-Summer 2025 Community Engagement Phase 1 Goal: to improve funding programs 11,801 Comments Updated AACME Funding Programs Guidelines 13 Funding Programs: Guidelines ▪ Clearer definitions ▪ Clearer criteria ▪ Simplified processes ▪ More accessible resources across all programs ▪ Learn More: austintexas.gov/acme/grants-funding English Guidelines Spanish Guidelines 14 AACME Enhancements ▪ Unified Structure: All funding programs consolidated into one division ▪ Stronger Connections: Cultural Centers & staff better integrated with Funding team ▪ Community Engagement: ▪ …
