Celebrate Mexico Now 2018: A Celebration Of Mexican And Mexican American Culture In NYC

In an era when the state of North and South American relations are under constant scrutiny and discussion, the cultural and artistic impact of Mexican art and artistry has gone shamefully unexamined. It's a conundrum that acclaimed producer and Mexican ex-pat Claudia Norman, the founder of the annual New York cultural festival Celebrate Mexico Now (CMN), has devoted her life to addressing.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but when American politicians discuss Mexico, our artistic culture is not part of the agenda," says Norman. "Sadly, that's proven equally true in our own country. Artistic capital and brain trust is often an afterthought in official policy. Celebrate Mexico Now was created because the official cultural agenda of both Mexico and the United States did not and does not match with the needs of arts presenting organizations in New York City." Over the past decade and a half, Norman has combatted this complacency by bringing literally hundreds of native Mexican artists - sculptors, musicians, poets, chefs, filmmakers, actors, painters, and directors - to perform and show at venues across our city for her multi-week festival. The goal is to share both the rich ancient traditions and vibrant new ideas emerging in Mexico's vital arts scene by showcasing Mexican and Mexican-American creators alongside artists building off of Mexican traditions. In this way, Ms. Norman seeks to present Mexican artistry as a heavyweight player in global culture.

As an independent festival, CMN is made possible through its partnerships with venues and cultural institutions in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island, creating a platform where established and emerging artists can reach the city's varied audiences. These close collaborations seek to connect and deepen the relationships between The Metropolitan Museum, New York University, the School of Visual Arts, Lincoln Center, Columbia University, The Queens Library, and The Museum of Food and Drink with the diverse communities of New York City. Since its inception, CMN has collaborated with 97 cultural institutions, over 300 artists and - most importantly - tens of thousands of New Yorkers. As in past years, the majority of CMN shows are free and open to the public.

For the 2018 celebration of Celebrate Mexico Now's fifteenth anniversary, Ms. Norman has organized the festival's programming as a Quinceañera, the traditional Latina observance of womanhood. In keeping with that spirit, this year's CMN places the lives, perspectives and stories of women in the forefront of a lineup that features prominent artists in the fields of music, theater, dance, film, gastronomy, literature, fine art and photography.

Celebrate Mexico Now's season begins on October 10 and runs through October 21 at venues across the city. Highlights of the season include a show of the poolside photography of Adel Buzali, opening on October 10; a screening of short films from the winners of the Morelia International Film Festival, followed by a talk with the films' directors, on October 12; Maria Jose Cuevas' documentary Bellas de Noche, on Mexico's 70's and 80's cabaret stars, featuring a rare Q&A with several of the film's stars on October 13; edible art from sculptor Gabriela Galvan on October 16; a multimedia presentation on the life of legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo on October 17; live music from bi-cultural singer/songwriters Diana Gameros and Renee Goust on October 18; and choreographer Karole Armitage's love letter to Mexican culture, The Art of the In-Between on October 20. The complete schedule features forty artists, representing Chiapas, Chihuahua, Chicago, Jalisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Michoacán, Morelos, New York, Oaxaca, San Francisco, Sonora and Veracruz.

To further help support CMN's independent vision, the organization is launching a crowdfunding effort today on Indiegogo, with all funds raised directly contributing to the considerable promotional, transportation and translation fees required to bring this project to fuller fruition.