Twenty-five years ago, after testing the waters in expanding its programming from film to include music, the visual arts and dance events, Chicago Latino Cinema changed its name to the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago (ILCC).
This was more than a cosmetic change. The decision strengthened Founder and Executive Director Pepe Vargas and his team’s commitment in presenting in Chicago the most daring, exciting, moving and unique artists and productions from the entire Pan-Latino diaspora, including Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal, and the many Latino communities in the United States. Of sharing with Chicago audiences from all walks of life the diversity of Pan-Latino voices while celebrating those commonalities that unite these countries and communities.
Since then, the ILCC has presented hundreds of musicians, dancers, writers, filmmakers and painters, most of them making their Chicago, some even their North American, debut. The ILCC has taken the show on the road, so to say, bringing these artists to culturally underserved communities all across Chicago, from Belmont-Cragin to Pilsen. More than 25% of the programming is free, including matinee screenings for school groups during the film festival, concerts and films in parks, and an annual dance festival.
But today that vision, and the vision of many other arts organizations in the city and the country, is under attack. The ILCC has seen a significant reduction in federal funding, impacting their ability to present and produce culturally relevant programming that speaks to the whole city.
PARTY WITH A CAUSE
To shine a spotlight on their ongoing successful work and to raise the funds needed to maintain and build crucial and indispensable programming for the community and the public at large, the ILCC is launching a fundraising campaign under the slogan Honoring Our History, Investing in Our Future.
The campaign’s headline event will be the 25th anniversary dinner celebration at CineCity Studios, 2429 West 14th St. on Friday, November 14, that will include pre-reception cocktails, the very best in Latino cuisine, and an unforgettable solo performance by Grammy® and Latin Grammy® Award winning artist Alex Cuba.
Born Alexis Puentes in Artemisa, Cuba, Alex Cuba studied electric and upright bass at a young age. In 1999, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he recorded an album, Morumba Cubana, with his twin brother, Adonis. Alex went on to record his solo debut album, Humo De Tobaco, for which he earned a Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year for 2006. In 2009, he released his first-ever English track, “If You Give Me Love.” In 2010, he took home the award for Best New Artist at the Latin Grammy Awards, where he also got a nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Album. A second Latin Grammy soon followed, this time as a songwriter, alongside Yoel Henriquez, for Best Tropical Song for Milly Quezada’s single, “Toma Mi Vida,” featuring Juan Luis Guerra
In 2017, Alex Cuba continued to push the boundaries of his music. His sixth album, Lo Único Constante, delved deeper into his songwriting roots, focusing on a nylon string guitar and upright bass and looking at the “Filin” movement in Cuba in the 1940s that fused jazz and trova, 19th-century Cuban folk music, together. On May 28, Alex Cuba released a brand new single, Nada es de Verdad, with Grammy-Award winning Miami-based pan-Latino sensation Bacilos.
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO HELP
Individual contributions are a key component of the ILCC’s fundraising campaign. For a contribution as low as $20 a month, supporters will contribute to the lasting stability of the organization and ensure that Latin arts will still have a voice and a space in the city.
For more information on the ILCC’s 25th anniversary fundraising dinner and individual contributions, visit the ILCC’s official fundraising page.
“As an organization, we do not have a tradition of an annual fundraiser as most nonprofits do, yet perilous times impel us to take a moment to both celebrate our milestone and to provide others an opportunity to invest in the future of Latino arts in Chicago. We want to continue sharing those transformative stories with Chicago audiences for years to come,” said Pepe Vargas, Founder and Executive Director of the ILCC
“Our silver jubilee is more than a celebration. It also represents an opportunity to renew our deep commitment to presenting multidisciplinary work from across the Pan-Latino diaspora. These are, undoubtedly, challenging times for the arts and for arts organizations like ours. Our fundraising campaign and gala will help pave the way for a more sustainable future for our organization,” added Mateo Mulcahy, Deputy Executive Director of the ILCC.
The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit cultural organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the law.
