Featuring a New and Enhanced Día de los Muertos Production

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center will celebrate 30 years of La Vida de los Muertos, its traditional Día de los Muertos event, with a new and enhanced production on Monday, November 2, at the Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St.  The community celebration will feature dance, music, vendors, workshops and food, culminating in the annual dance and music performance that brings the traditions, stories and spirit of Día de los Muertos.

The festivities begin at 5 p.m. with free workshops to learn the tradition of sugar skull decorating and paper flower making.  The performances begin at 6 p.m. with a procession and music by Guadalupe’s Mariachi Origen y Tradición followed by “La Vida de los Muertos” an engaging theatre/dance production by the Guadalupe Dance Company and Academy sponsored by AARP San Antonio.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Guadalupe will feature new and enhanced programming. This year’s La Vida de los Muertos has been reimagined with new and improved production elements, including enhanced lighting and sound, an updated set and stage, new costumes and decorations, creating an even more vibrant experience for audiences of all ages.

“This year we are very excited to present a new and improved program celebrating 30 years of this unique show, thanks to extra support for Cultural Districts from Texas Commission on the Arts,” said Cristina Ballí, executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. “La Vida de los Muertos is probably one of San Antonio’s best kept secrets – it is a delightful educational program for people young and old that teaches about this special and deeply meaningful Mexican tradition.  Already 1,000 people enjoy it each year, but we have room for more, so we want to invite everyone out.”

At this year’s dance production, the characters will gather to celebrate lives well lived, recount many memorable stories, and share great legends.  The story follows recently departed Don Chepe as he finds his way in search of his friends and family with help from Don Catrin and Doña Catrina and a cast of fantastical characters.

With its 30th anniversary and newly enhanced production, this year’s La Vida de los Muertos event offers audiences an exciting opportunity to experience one of San Antonio’s longstanding cultural traditions in a fresh and vibrant way. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

Schedule

5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m.: Free Workshops: Sugar Skull Decorating and Paper Flower Making
6:00 p.m.: Procession and Performance by the Guadalupe Mariachi Academy
6:30 p.m.: Día de los Muertos Music/Dance Performance Featuring the Guadalupe Dance Company and Dance Academy

Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St.
Free and open to the public.  Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs.

Photos courtesy Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Feature photo by Richard Vasquez.

The post The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Celebrates 30 Years of La Vida de Los Muertos appeared first on ArtScene SA.

The Brackenridge Park Conservancy invites San Antonio residents and visitors to celebrate Halloween with two distinctive events at Brackenridge Park this October. Together, the events highlight Brackenridge Park as a welcoming community destination for family activities, music, recreation and seasonal celebrations.

Friday, October 23 – Trick-or-Treat on the Trail

Trick-or-Treat on the Trail returns for its third year, offering families a safe, car-free Halloween experience, while Disco Alfresco presents Cumbiaween at Sunken Garden Theater with support from the Conservancy. The Halloween-themed music event will celebrate cumbia and invite attendees to connect through music and dance at one of the park’s historic outdoor venues.

When: 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Where: Koehler Pavilion and the trails throughout Brackenridge Park
Cost: Free
Presented by: Ghisallo Cycling Initiative in partnership with Brackenridge Park Conservancy

Details

• The trick-or-treat route begins at Koehler Pavilion and continues through Brackenridge Park.
• More than 15 trick-or-treat stations hosted by community partners will offer candy, games and activities for families.
• Participating community organizations will provide free health and safety resources.
• Families are encouraged to wear costumes and enjoy an evening of Halloween fun in the park.

More information: Brackenridge Park Conservancy – Trick-or-Treat on the Trail
Community partner: Ghisallo Cycling Initiative

Friday, October 30 – Cumbiaween at Sunken Garden Theater, presented by Disco Alfresco

San Antonio’s favorite dance party of the summer returns with puro spooky vibes, setting out to create the biggest community Halloween celebration the city has ever seen. Disco Alfresco presents CumbiaWeen at Sunken Garden Theater, with support from Brackenridge Park Conservancy.

When: 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Where: Sunken Garden Theater, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Texas
Location: Sunken Garden Theater, 3875 N. St. Mary’s St., San Antonio
Music: Gio Chamba live + Ella Ella
Tickets: Limited $15 all-in release, including fees. $25 regular admission online afterward and at the door, subject to availability.
Admission: All ages. Children under 15 free.
Parking: Free.
Coolers: Welcome under venue rules. No alcohol sold on site.
Tickets and information: https://posh.vip/e/cumbiaween
Presented by: Disco Alfresco, with support from Brackenridge Park Conservancy

Details

• A spooky cumbia costume party under the stars, CumbiaWeen gives the city a place to celebrate Halloween together. Disco Alfresco brings its signature outdoor dance experience into a new season, inviting San Antonians of all generations to dress up and make the night their own.
• Gio Chamba brings a live psychedelic cumbia performance, alongside a DJ set by Ella Ella. The celebration takes place at Sunken Garden Theater, the historic 1930s outdoor amphitheater where the spirits of performances past are invited back for one more dance.
• A lowrider trunk-or-treat for kids, Halloween decorations, and a market of local vendors extend the celebration beyond the dance floor. Guests can bring a cooler and enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks from participating vendors throughout the evening.
• With free parking and free admission for children under 15, CumbiaWeen welcomes friends and families for an evening of music, costumes, and dancing, marking the start of a San Antonio Halloween tradition.
• Sunken Garden Theater was carved into a limestone quarry in the 1930s and has hosted performances by the San Antonio Symphony, the Civic Opera and Carlos Santana.

More information: discoalfresco.com.

Feature photo: Cumbiaween. Photos courtesy Brackenridge Park Conservancy.

The post Halloween Family Fun and Music at Brackenridge Park appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Three intimate evenings featuring American-inspired cuisine, champagne, Italian cheeses and wines.

This fall, San Antonio’s Agarita launches Music, Food & Wine at the Agarita Loft, a three-event series bringing live music together with thoughtfully curated culinary experiences in partnership with Clementine.

Each evening pairs a distinctive musical program with food and drink created specifically for the occasion by Clementine Chefs Elise Russ and John Russ.

From iconic American desserts and champagne to dishes celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary and a tasting of Italian cheeses and wines alongside Tchaikovsky, the series offers audiences a fresh way to experience music through the senses.

Event Details

American Desserts & Champagne
Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.

An evening of American song and musical storytelling, paired with iconic American desserts created by Clementine Chef Elise Russ and champagne.

Tickets: $75

Agarita Celebrates America 250
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 6:30 p.m.

A musical celebration of America’s 250th anniversary featuring works by American composers, paired with dishes created especially for the evening by Clementine Chef John Russ.
Tickets: $75

A Taste of Florence: Italian Cheeses & Wines
Friday, December 18, 2026 | 6:30 p.m.

Experience Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence alongside Italian cheeses selected by Clementine Chef John Russ and Italian wines from Alexander Vineyards.
Tickets: $75

WHERE:
Agarita Loft
724 S. Alamo St., Suite 2, second floor
San Antonio, TX
Access via stairs and chairlift.

Feature photo by Chris Stokes.

The post Agarita Pairs Live Music with Culinary Experiences in New Food & Wine Series appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Are you looking for a distinctive photo shoot location? Maybe a space for curated calm or a unique, intimate celebration?

Nathan Estrada’s The Gallery on the East Side of San Antonio is where you want to go. Not only does this space offer some fine examples of art…it’s a piece of art itself.

Estrada is a San Antonio residential designer and the principal of Estrada Design + Co. For twenty years he has collected vintage furniture, art and objects one piece at a time.

Now he has created The Gallery at 701 Montana, an appointment-only space where photographers, creators and private events can book the collection as a complete set. In celebration of the space’s Grand Opening, Mr. Estrada was kind enough to talk about it exclusively with ArtScene SA.

What was the inspiration behind the creation of the Gallery?

For twenty years I’ve bought furniture, art and objects I couldn’t walk away from, one piece at a time. None of it was bought to fill a room. At some point the collection outgrew any house I could put it in, and I realized what people responded to wasn’t any single piece. It was what happens when all of it is together. The Gallery is that place. It isn’t a store and it isn’t a traditional gallery. You book the room, not the things in it.

How did you find this historic location on San Antonio’s East Side?

I wasn’t looking for a storefront. I was looking for a building with enough history to hold twenty years of collecting without it feeling staged. 701 Montana had it: a historic two-story home on Montana Street, a short walk from the Alamodome and Hemisfair, in a neighborhood that’s starting to wake up. The moment the collection went inside, it looked like it had always been there.

What services and amenities does the Gallery offer?

There are three spaces you can book on their own or together. The Gallery itself is the main interior: oxblood walls, oil paintings floor to ceiling, mid-century furniture, a kitchen and a long communal table. It hosts photo and film shoots, podcasts, private dinners and brand launches, up to 25 guests for events. The Studio Room is a small private room for headshots, solo recordings, wellness sessions and one-on-ones.

The Yard is the lawn out back with a red pavilion and mural walls, for markets, pop-ups, food trucks and outdoor gatherings. There’s WiFi, a full bathroom with a shower, and accessible entry. We’re BYOB friendly, with licensed bar service on request, and you can bring your own caterer. We book by the hour, half day, full day or evening.

How were all of the distinctive art pieces found throughout the space located and curated?

Slowly, and never on purpose. Some pieces came from estate sales, some from dates, some from afternoons out on my own, and a lot of them came through my work as a designer. Some were inherited, pieces people loved and passed on to me, or that families trusted me with after losing someone.

Every piece was a decision I made one at a time over twenty years, not a sourced inventory. Nothing was bought for the opening. The collection came first, and as a designer, I built the room around it.

Who will most likely benefit from scheduling time at The Gallery?

Anyone who needs a room with character already built in. Photographers and content creators, film and podcast crews, brands launching a product, small private dinners and celebrations, workshops, and wellness practitioners who want a quiet room. No styling is needed. The space is a complete set the moment you walk in.

Tell us about Free Shoot Day.

Sunday, October 11, 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. is the latest, but more will come. Photographers and models claim a free one-hour slot, one photographer and one model per hour, and get the whole room to themselves. It’s trade-for-print: free room, free light, you keep the photos, and we just ask that you tag @thegalleryonmontana when you post. The last slot runs into golden hour on the lawn. It’s our way of introducing the room to the people who will fill it. Details and open slots here.

Parking downtown is always a challenge. How is it by the Gallery?

Easier than downtown proper. For now it’s street parking along Montana and the surrounding blocks. On Alamodome event nights, give yourself a few extra minutes.

You mentioned that the Gallery is one of the first places to be revitalized on Montana Street. What other developments can we expect to see?

More of the community coming through the gate. Opening weekend brings an antique market in the yard and a raffle, with seats at our first dinner party as one of the prizes, and the yard is already booked for a facial and Pilates event later this month. Free Shoot Day is something we plan to do more often, open days where photographers and models can come use the room at no cost. The murals going up on the block are part of the same story. The more people who make work and gather here, the more the street comes back to life.

Come see The Gallery. You can get in touch with them here.

The post East San Antonio Is Being Revitalized with The Gallery appeared first on ArtScene SA.

The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop staff presents The Donkey Lady/A Graphic Parable on Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.

This free event will begin with a dramatic reading by author Carmen Tafolla and illustrator Thelma Ortiz Muraida followed by a costume contest and Donkey Lady pizza party! An exhibit of the book’s illustrations will be on display. Guests of all ages should arrive dressed in their Halloween costumes to enter the contest.

The Donkey Lady/A Graphic Parable tells the distinctly Southside San Antonio story of the Donkey Lady who has haunted the countryside surrounding the “Donkey Lady Bridge” for generations. At a time when stories of violence against women and cultural erasure persist, The Donkey Lady offers a powerful reimagining of a local myth and folk legend as a narrative of witness, survival, and resistance. Books will be available for purchase.

This dramatic reading includes violent content and is intended for audiences aged 9 years and up, but families with children of all ages are welcome. For the younger kids, we will host a picture book read-along session in the bookstore while The Donkey Lady presentation occurs in the Community Gallery. These spaces sit side by side, and guardians can move freely between them. Following the book presentations, we will bring the groups together for the costume contest and pizza party.

Carmen Tafolla, Ph.D., former San Antonio and Texas Poet Laureate and the author of more than forty books, is the recipient of an Américas Award, three Tomás Rivera Book Awards, and eight International Latino Book Awards. Her work centers on Mexican American culture, history and personal empowerment.

Thelma Ortiz Muraida is an accomplished artist and graphic designer whose work spans children’s books, poetry collections, and visual storytelling. She has collaborated with Dr. Tafolla on multiple titles, among them Tamales, Comadres and the Meaning of Civilization, bringing layered, expressive imagery to culturally rooted narratives.

Aztlan Libre Press is an independent publishing company based out of Yanawana/San Antonio, Texas that is dedicated to the publication, promotion and free expression of XicanX literature and art. Established in 2009 by Juan Tejeda and Anisa Onofre.

WHO: Carmen Tafolla and Thelma Ortiz Muraida

WHAT: The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop presents The Donkey Lady/A Graphic Parable, a dramatic reading, costume contest, and pizza party, open to guests of all ages.

WHEN: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Guadalupe Latino Bookstore
1300 Guadalupe St., San Antonio, TX 78207

DETAILS:

• Free and open to the public
• Dramatic reading (ages 9+), picture book read-along (ages 0-9), and costume contest and parade (all ages)
• Free pizza and prizes

About the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore:

In the heart of San Antonio’s Westside, the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore stands as a testament to resilience and pride. Operated by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, this unique establishment is more than just a bookstore, it’s a sanctuary where stories of the Latino experience come alive. As the only Latino-focused bookstore in Texas, it offers a curated selection of works by Latino authors, reflecting the rich tapestry of the community’s history, art, and voices. From children’s books to scholarly texts, the shelves are filled with narratives that resonate deeply with our heritage.

Understanding the challenges faced by our community, the bookstore provides a 25% discount to Westside residents, encouraging youth to engage with literature that mirrors their own experiences and aspirations. Housed in the historic Progreso Pharmacy Building, the bookstore is part of a vibrant cultural hub that includes theaters and outdoor spaces, fostering a dynamic environment for artistic expression and community gatherings. In a neighborhood confronting issues like poverty and systemic disparities, the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore shines as a beacon of hope, education, and cultural affirmation.

Visit the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore at 1300 Guadalupe Street, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm.  Contact us at: 210-271-3151, extension 250.

Photos courtesy Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.

The post Guadalupe Latino Bookstore Presents a Spooky Halloween Treat appeared first on ArtScene SA.

The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop staff is excited to present Who Were the Aztecs?: an interactive workshop for curious minds of all ages on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Local Mexican American Studies (MAS) educator Michael Dominguez will lead the presentation.

Travel more than 500 years into the past to experience the last great civilization of Mesoamerica. This workshop is open to everyone and will focus on interesting aspects of Aztec civilization.

Come learn about the culture, language, practices, and empire of the pre-Columbian people whose capital lies beneath Mexico City.

Mr. Dominguez brings passion and cultural authenticity to his role as a MAS educator, drawing from his rich background in social studies education and deep commitment to engagement.

He encourages people to be active participants instead of passive observers. As a teacher, mentor, and advocate for his students both in and out of the classroom, he teaches and preaches history to all.

• Free and open to the public
• Fun and interactive workshop
• Light refreshments provided

The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore is located at 1300 Guadalupe St., San Antonio, TX 78207.

The post ‘Who Were the Aztecs?’ Free Special Event Oct. 10 appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Through Art, History and Culture at the Briscoe

The women who shaped Texas and Mexico were not simply witnesses to history. They were participants, survivors, cultural transmitters, laborers, activists, mothers, revolutionaries and community leaders whose resilience and determination helped shape the cultural landscape connecting Mexico, Texas and the American West

Opening Oct. 15 at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, Kathy Sosa: Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico brings those stories to the forefront through more than 30 works by San Antonio artist Kathy Sosa. On view through June 14, 2027, the exhibition complements the Briscoe’s landmark Tejano Legacy: Another American Origin Story and offers a contemporary artistic continuation of the history explored throughout that exhibition. Works featured include paintings, mixed media and sculpture.

“Women have always been essential to the story of the West, but too often their contributions have been minimized or left out altogether,” said Liz Jackson, President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum. “Kathy’s work gives these women the presence they deserve. Through her portraits, we encounter women who endured upheaval, crossed borders, preserved traditions, raised families, built communities and created change. The exhibition makes that history personal and reminds us that these women didn’t simply live through history – they helped shape the Texas and American West we know today.”

Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico will mark the reopening of the Briscoe’s Women of the West Gallery, currently closed as part of the museum’s ongoing renovation. The refreshed gallery will reopen in time to welcome Sosa’s exhibition and expand the stories of the women who built and shaped the West.

Revolutionary Women: History Through a Contemporary Lens

San Antonio artist Kathy Sosa is a self-taught artist whose work explores mestizaje and the distinctive cultural identity of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. A Spanish term for the mixing and blending of peoples and cultures, mestizaje historically referred to racial and ethnic mixing, particularly among Indigenous peoples and Europeans in the Americas. Over time, the term has also come to describe a broader cultural process: the convergence of traditions, languages, ideas, identities and ways of life.

For Sosa, mestizaje is not simply a historical concept. It is the living culture of the Texas-Mexico borderlands – the blending of peoples, races, ethnicities, languages, ideas, habits and cultures that she has experienced since childhood. In San Antonio, she sees it expressed in everything from language and music to food, clothing, family traditions and everyday life.

That exploration takes on a particularly human dimension in Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico. The exhibition draws upon Sosa’s book, Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico: Portraits of Soldaderas, Saints and Subversives, while also encompassing other women and acts Sosa considers revolutionary. The exhibition focuses on women whose lives and actions challenge conventional ideas about who shaped the history of Texas, Mexico and the American West. Her subjects were not simply witnesses to history. They were participants, survivors, cultural transmitters, laborers, activists, mothers, revolutionaries and community leaders.

After a career in Hispanic advertising and communications, Sosa began painting at age 48 and has spent more than two decades telling stories of borderlands culture through painting, mixed media, public art and altar installations. Her work draws inspiration from Mexican and Mesoamerican visual traditions, incorporating portraiture, textiles, pattern and symbolism to explore women, identity and memory. Her nationally recognized exhibition Huipiles: A Celebration debuted at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., as part of the Smithsonian Latino Center’s “Mexico at the Smithsonian” before traveling to San Antonio’s Museo Alameda.

Sosa is the author of Mestizaje: The Feminist Art of Kathy Sosa and coeditor and illustrator of Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico: Portraits of Soldaderas, Saints, and Subversives. She is co-producer of the documentary series Children of the Revolución: How the Mexican Revolution Changed America’s Destiny, chronicling the history of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. Her work has been exhibited across the country and featured by national and regional media.

A Contemporary Companion to Nearly 400 Years of Tejano History

The concept of mestizaje also bridges Sosa’s work and Tejano Legacy: Another American Origin Story, the largest and most ambitious exhibition in the Briscoe’s history. On view through Jan. 18, 2027, Tejano Legacy explores nearly 400 years of Tejano history, culture and identity through more than 100 artworks and artifacts. Its scholarship examines the people, cultures, migrations, conflicts, faith, traditions and identities that shaped Texas and demonstrates how generations of cultural exchange created a distinctive borderlands culture that remains vibrant today.

Where Tejano Legacy presents that story through historical art, objects and scholarship, Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexicooffers a focused, contemporary examination of its human dimensions. Sosa’s women reveal how culture and identity endure through periods of migration, conflict and profound change, carried forward through language, food, religion, family, music, storytelling, dress and memory. The connection is particularly fitting because Sosa is among the contemporary artists represented in Tejano Legacy, demonstrating how the history explored throughout the exhibition continues to inspire artists and shape cultural identity today.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Briscoe

With Tejano Legacy and Selena Forever | Siempre Selena currently on view, a full slate of fall programming and the October arrival ofRevolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico, the Briscoe offers visitors multiple opportunities to explore the breadth and continuing influence of Tejano and Mexican American history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the fall.

“Hispanic Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate stories and traditions that have shaped our community for generations and continue to shape it today,” Jackson said. “At the Briscoe, visitors can experience those connections across centuries – from the history and scholarship of Tejano Legacy to John Dyer’s photographs of Selena and Kathy Sosa’s contemporary interpretations of extraordinary women. Together, they show that Tejano and Mexican American stories not only deserve to be celebrated but are also essential to understanding Texas and the American West.”

Featuring more than 100 paintings, sculptures, maps, saddles, weapons and rare historical artifacts from museums and private collections across the United States and Mexico, Tejano Legacy includes several works considered part of Mexico’s cultural heritage that are being exhibited in the United States for the first time. An original documentary, immersive interactive experiences and a 208-page bilingual exhibition catalog further enrich the visitor experience.

Selena Forever | Siempre Selena, on view through Jan. 4, 2027, features photographer John Dyer’s images of Selena Quintanilla from sessions between 1992 and 1994, capturing a pivotal period in the Tejano superstar’s rise. Large-scale portraits are presented alongside boutique photographs, magazine covers and ephemera, celebrating Selena not only as an icon but as part of the continuing story of Tejano culture and its influence on Texas and beyond.

Fall at the Briscoe: Experience Tejano Culture Beyond the Galleries

The Briscoe brings the stories and themes of Tejano Legacy to life throughout the fall with programs exploring Tejano history, identity, art and living culture. From Lotería and scholarly conversations to hands-on art, live music and film, the lineup offers visitors opportunities to experience the culture celebrated throughout the exhibition in new ways.

Sept. 19 | Tejano Legacy Academic Symposium, 2–4 p.m.

The post Women Take Their Rightful Place in the Story of the West at the Briscoe appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Make plans to attend Celebrando Tradiciones: Corazón y Raíz, a culturally authentic, traditional Folklorico dance production that reflects the heart and roots of our community on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, 7:30 p.m., at the Jo Long Theater at the Carver Cultural Center.

Showcasing the exceptional artistry of the Guadalupe Dance Company and Mariachi Azteca de América, this performance explores the cycle of life and the experiences that shape who we are as we celebrate our heritage, identity, and cultural pride.

Tickets are $30, $25 and $20 can be purchased at the Carver Box Office Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or through Ticketmaster at https://thecarver.org/events/.  A $60 VIP Package includes premium seating, a VIP gift, and a reception while the $45 Celebrando Package includes reserved seating along with the reception.

Feature photo courtesy Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.

The post The Guadalupe Presents ‘Celebrando Tradiciones: Corazón y Raiz’ appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Classic Silent Comedy with Live Musical Accompaniment

Step back into 1925 for a magical evening as Agarita performs Stephen Prutsman’s vibrant live score to Buster Keaton’s silent film Seven Chances. Experience the timeless comedy of the silver screen brought thrillingly to life through the energy of live chamber music. Featuring Joseph Conyers, bass, and Jessica Petrasek, flute.

Keaton stars as Jimmie Shannon, the junior partner in the brokerage firm of Meekin and Shannon, which is on the brink of financial ruin. A lawyer brings news: Jimmie will inherit seven million dollars from his late grandfather if he is married by 7:00 p.m. on his 27th birthday, which happens to be that same day.

Friday, September 11, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Jo Long Theatre at the Carver Community Cultural Center
226 N. Hackberry
San Antonio, TX 78202

Admission is free but please RSVP in advance: [Ticket link].

Thank you to the City of San Antonio and Bexar County Precinct 2 for their sponsorship of this concert.

About Agarita

Founded in 2018, Agarita is an innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, offering a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement and free, adventurous programming.

Through free performances, educational outreach, and innovative programming, Agarita brings high-quality music to audiences in nontraditional venues across the city, including schools, libraries, and public spaces.

Follow Agarita’s upcoming projects and future performances at www.agarita.org, on Facebook at @Agaritachamberplayers or on Instagram @Agarita_San_Antonio. For any questions, email agaritachamberplayers@gmail.com.

The post ‘Seven Chances’: Silent Film at the Carver Sept. 11 appeared first on ArtScene SA.

The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop will present Narratives of Gang Life in San Antonio, an evening with author Avelardo Valdez to celebrate his new book Homeboys Forever: The Lifetime Consequences of Gang Membership (June 2026) on Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. This public event will feature a reading and an engaging discussion between Valdez and moderator Juan Tejeda of Aztlán Libre Press about the author’s 20-year study of gang involvement among men from the Westside of San Antonio. Books will be available on-site for purchase at this free event.

Avelardo Valdez is Professor Emeritus in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the department of sociology at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Mexican American Girls and Gang Violence: Beyond Risk and co-editor of Puro Conjunto: An Album in Words and Pictures.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Violence, addiction, imprisonment . . . we don’t have to look hard to see the negative consequences of gang involvement. But what does it look like to spend a life — from adolescence to adulthood — in gangs?

Sociologist Avelardo Valdez and his research team have been following the lives of Mexican American men in San Antonio, Texas, over a remarkable twenty years, watching and listening as they navigate adolescent delinquency and gang involvement, advance into a life of crime, and — sometimes — attempt to break from gang life and build lives in conventional society.

Mr. Valdez was kind enough to speak with ArtScene SA about his new book.

ArtScene SA: What is your connection to the Westside of San Antonio and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center?

Avelardo Valdez: I have been conducting research on theb lives of Mexican Americans on the Westside since my appointment as a faculty member at UTSA in 1979. My early research on the Westside focused on housing segregation, small businesses, intermarriage, and immigration.

I was a board member of the GCAC from 1981 until 1995. Serving on the board prompted my interest in conjunto music, which resulted in several journal articles on the topic and a co-edited book (with Juan Tejeda) published by The University of Texas Press.

My insights into Mexican Americans are also influenced by the fact that my extended family on both my mother’s and father’s sides reside primarily in San Antonio.

What was the inspiration behind the Homeboys Forever book project?

The inspiration for this book was my overall interest in how, despite having the benefit of living in the U.S. for several generations, Mexican Americans continue to experience disparate social, economic, and health disparities. The goal of this book is for readers to look beyond individual fault or deficiencies when discussions of crime and drugs arise in our communities and realize that these problems are rooted in the systematic inequalities and discrimination that shape structural vulnerabilities. These factors, for many, lead to a lifetime of demonization, stressful interpersonal relationships, social isolation, and infinite personal consequences.

Who is your ideal audience for the book?

The audience for this book includes public policy advocates and members of the public interested in criminology, criminal justice, incarceration, education, and health issues affecting disadvantaged minority populations in the U.S. My hope is that non-academics who read this book will acquire new insights, a greater understanding, and empathy for the struggles of disadvantaged populations. As well, the book will appeal to undergraduate and graduate students across a range of disciplines, especially sociology, Latino studies, criminology, and life course studies.

Which books do you feel pair well with Homeboys Forever? Why these books?

There are many well-respected books on Mexican American and Latino gangs. But if you ask what pairs well with this book, I suggest the following non-gang publications: The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas  by  Monica Muñoz Martinez and Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth by Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford.

Since one of my book’s objectives is to understand how a significant portion of Mexican Americans remain locked into lives of poverty, marginalization, and hopelessness despite living in this country for generations, the books I am recommending provide the historical precursors that influenced Mexican-Anglo relations in the Southwest and other parts of the U.S., and ultimately influenced the lives and experiences of the men in this study.

EVENT DETAILS

WHO: Avelardo Valdez (author) and Juan Tejeda (moderator)

WHAT: The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore & Gift Shop presents Narratives of Gang Life in San Antonio, an evening with author Avelardo Valdez about his new book Homeboys Forever: The Lifetime Consequences of Gang Membership.

WHEN: Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Guadalupe Latino Bookstore
1300 Guadalupe St., San Antonio, TX 78207

• Free and open to the public
• Book for sale
• Author book signing
• Light refreshments provided

The post Special Event: An Evening with Author Avelardo Valdez at the Guadalupe appeared first on ArtScene SA.