You don’t need to see the gateway which proclaims “Bienvenidos a Little Village” to know that you’re entering a neighborhood pulsing with Latino culture. In La Villita and neighboring Pilsen, the sights, sounds and smells vividly evoke residents’ Central and South American heritage.
About 28 percent of Chicagoans have Latino roots, and their diversity, number and contributions to the city grow every day – especially throughout the arts.
One of Chicago’s most brilliant arts centers, Pilsen emphasizes public art. Stunning murals provide an unmistakable connection to the Mexican muralist tradition. Studio and gallery tours, many with musical performances, crowd Chicago Arts District’s busy calendar. And the magnificent National Museum of Mexican Art - the nation's largest Latino arts institution – offers a dazzling exploration of Mexican culture from ancient times to the present.
Orlando Espinoza and Anna Fong are just two of many local designers gaining recognition throughout the fashion world and in such events as Latino Fashion Week Chicago. Goodman Theatre’s annual Latino Theatre Festival features extraordinary artists in Spanish and English works.
Chicago-born Sandra Cisneros is one of many writers skillfully expressing themselves through literature. Latin beats thrum in lively neighborhood festivals and iViva! Chicago Latin Music Festival’s glorious annual showcase of genres from around the world. And International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago – launched in 1985 to support a film festival of 14 films projected on a concrete wall – has blossomed into year-round, multi-arts programming.
Chicago’s Latino communities offer all this and more. Discover how much more via a Chicago Neighborhood Tour.