Edinburg, TX
Scroll to learn more about Edinburg’s Arts For EveryBody project
Edinburg, TX
Scroll to learn more about Edinburg’s Arts For EveryBody project
Edinburg, TX
Scroll to learn more about Edinburg’s Arts For EveryBody project
Edinburg, TX
Scroll to learn more about Edinburg’s Arts For EveryBody project
City of Edinburg
On July 27, the City of Edinburg’s downtown came alive with art & wellness extravaganza, FridaFest. The night began with the premiere of ¡Despierta!, an original musical about the Rio Grande Valley region, starring 75 community members. Following the musical premiere, the FridaFest outdoor grounds flooded with inspiring public art commissions; dynamic demonstrations by artists, health & wellness partners and local performers; and culminating headliner: Mexico City’s flamenco-jazz band, Jenny and the Mexicats. Set against the backdrop of the city’s new Arts, Culture, and Events Center (A.C.E.), FridaFest honored women's empowerment and the legacy of Frida Kahlo while embracing themes of healing, belonging, and the rich tapestry of Edinburg's cultural scene.
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The City of Edinburg’s Department of Library & Cultural Arts, local artists, and education and health partners make up our Core Site Team, showcasing the community’s resilience, color, and artistic richness through inspiring murals throughout the city and community-based art programs that promote health and well-being. The City and its partners are also focused on establishing a strong artistic workforce through the establishment of the artist directory, entrepreneurship classes, and artistic opportunities and programming.
Upcoming classes will serve as the foundation for the programming at the City’s Art, Culture, and Event Center scheduled to open in June 2024. The ACE Center will be in the heart of the City’s festival grounds and will serve to showcase the community’s rich Mexican culture and traditions while embracing and celebrating its growing diversity. The initiative will culminate in an Art & Wellness festival that promotes health and well-being, social connectedness, and a sense of belonging.
Meet The Team
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Letty Leija
Director of Library & Cultural Arts
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Brisa Areli Muñoz
Artistic Director / Lead Artist
Brisa Areli Muñoz (she/they) is a Chicane theatre director, healing practitioner, and cultural worker based out of New York City, originally from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. She is the Artistic Director of Musical Theatre Factory, an organization committed to dismantling oppressive ideologies through radical new musicals. She has directed & facilitated workshops on Broadway, nationally and internationally, and is passionate about using art as a tool to cultivate communities of care. -
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Magdiel Castle
Assistant Director of Cultural Arts
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Michele Ward
Art Program Supervisor
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Joel Jason Rodriguez
Department Chair, Fine Arts, STC
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Robert De Hoyos
Technical Coordinator, STC
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Dahlia Guerra
Special Assistant to the Dean, UTRGV Fine Arts
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Marcos Martinez
Artist, Researcher, Data Collection
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Jeffrey Ward
Dean, UTRGV Fine Arts
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Luis Torres-Hostos
Dean, UTRGV School of Social Work
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John Ronnau
Senior Assoc Dean, UTRGV School of Medicine
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Kim Nguyen-Finn
Assistant Professor, UTRGV School Rehabilitation Services & Counseling
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Deepu George
Associate Professor, UTRGV Family & Community Medicine
Deepu George completed his doctoral work in Human Development and Family Science with a specialization in Family Therapy from the University of Georgia under the guidance of Dr. Jay A. Mancini. As part of his doctoral clinical requirement, he also completed a one year internship in Medical Family Therapy and Integrated Care from Duke/SR-AHEC Family Medicine Residency program in Fayetteville, NC. His work focuses on implementing integrated behavioral health models in primary care, specifically the evidence-based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model and doing evaluation research on the effects on implementation. Along with his clinical duties as Behavioral Health Consultant in the PCBH model, he teaches residents in clinic and in didactics primary care behavioral health skills. His research focuses on social determinants of health, physician resilience and well-being, community capacity building, and health disparities in the Rio Grande Valley region.
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