The final bustling of workers hanging pieces of art while others clean, dust and wipe away traces of years of work continues this week at the city’s Mexican American Cultural Center. The work will culminate Saturday with the grand opening of the last signature project of the city’s 2012 quality of life bond.
“This was a project that was initially approved by 2012 voters in the quality of life bond election,” said Ben Fyffe, managing director of El Paso’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Department. “And since then, it has been 13 years of planning, dreaming, listening, advocating – sometimes fighting – to be able to get to this point and to be able to create a center that we hope really meets the expectations of everyone who has provided input and ideas over the last 13 years.”
Staff are placing final touches this week ahead of the long-awaited opening of the center at 201 W. Franklin Ave.
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When will the Mexican American Cultural Center in Downtown El Paso open?
The Mexican American Cultural Center, the last signature project of the 2012 quality of life bond program, has yet to open. City officials say they’re “rounding the last corner.”
The cultural center’s opening will kick off with a celebration from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 22. A ribbon cutting will take place at 11 a.m.
The celebration will have a variety of activities such as guided tours, food trucks and two new art exhibits as well as hands-on activities.
The event will also mark the renovations of the neighboring Cleveland Square Park.
The MACC, a $15 million facility that was initially allocated about $5.75 million, is located in the state-designated Downtown Arts District, and is a three-story, 41,000-square-foot cultural center constructed as part of the Main Library. The El Paso Museum of History also is located next to Cleveland Square Park in the arts district.
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El Paso’s long-awaited Mexican American Cultural Center will open March 22. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
Ben Fyffe, the City of El Paso’s Managing Director for Quality of Life, previews an art gallery in the Mexican American Cultural Center that will exhibit pieces by local artist Gaspar Enriquez. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
A series of pieces by local artist Gaspar Enriquez will be on display at the Mexican American Cultural Center. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center will have two art gallery spaces to exhibit work by Mexican-American and community artists. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes an auditorium that is shared with the El Paso Public Library downtown. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
Rebecca Muñoz, director of the Mexican American Cultural Center, shows the Black Box Theater, a multi-use performance space, March 19, 2025. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
A recording studio at the Mexican American Cultural Center will be used to record oral histories and will be available for booking. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
A recording studio at the Mexican American Cultural Center will be used to record oral histories and will be available for booking. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
A rooftop terrace at the Mexican American Cultural Center offers a view of downtown El Paso and will be available as an event space. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes a dance studio where community members can learn traditional dances. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes a cooking classroom with a full kitchen, designed to let visitors experience and prepare Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes a cooking classroom with a full kitchen, designed to let visitors experience and prepare Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes a cooking classroom with a full kitchen, designed to let visitors experience and prepare Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center includes a cooking classroom with a full kitchen, designed to let visitors experience and prepare Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center will have two art gallery spaces to exhibit work by Mexican-American and community artists. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
A textile piece by artist Adrian Esparza features a deconstructed sarape. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
An employee of the Mexican American Cultural Center prepares identifying tags for artwork. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center’s “wet studio” is a space where visitors can work on art and craft projects. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters) -
The Mexican American Cultural Center features an Artist-in-Residence studio that will bring artists to produce work. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
The post Doors to open Saturday for Mexican American Cultural Center – here’s a sneak peek appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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