Phoenix Center for the Arts has begun to expand on a new element to its standard repertoire of classes, which now includes a wide range of workshops taught entirely in Spanish.
Spanish-speakers who might have difficulty taking other classes at the center, located at the corner of Moreland and Third streets, now have the opportunity to take part in art, music, dance and theater workshops, with more topics on the way.
“We’re trying to acknowledge and promote (the Hispanic) culture in our community,” said Alyssa Brown, program manager at Phoenix Center for the Arts.
According to Joseph Benesh, director of the center, the idea to add classes in Spanish arose more than a year ago. He said that leaders and instructors at the center began to wonder how they could best serve the whole community.
“By providing access to the arts to (all) adults and children, we’re making that space for people to tell their own stories,” Benesh said. “We are looking to be inclusive — so if anybody out there sees another community that needs outreach, let us know.”
The classes are being taught by Miguel Angel Rubio, a native Spanish speaker who has knowledge in a wide variety of artistic areas. A native of Mexico, he has experienced firsthand the value of artistic expression to Hispanic and Latino culture and how stories and memories can be infused into artistic expression.
“I have been very curious (about the arts) since I was a child back in Mexico,” Rubio said. “I think it’s very important to tell stories. We have different ways of telling stories. We have traditional songs that tell stories about our origins and it’s very important to keep this tradition going.”
Rubio noted that closing the language barrier at the center will allow for even more expression, which will add further variety to the already-thriving center.
“Once you expose the general public to the arts community they get inspired, and then they get the passion going,” he said.
The class schedule currently includes the following classes: “Fotografia Digital,” or “Digital Photography”; “Actuacion, Metodos Contemporaneos en Teatro, Television, y Cine,” or “Performance, Contemporary Methods in Theater, Television and Film”; “Clases de Canto,” or “Singing Classes”; and “Clases de Tango,” or “Tango Classes.”
“Both the short-term and long-term benefit is giving opportunities to the instructors,” Rubio said. “We’ve been creating jobs and generating revenue.”
Currently, Rubio is the only Spanish-speaking instructor on the schedule. But he will soon be joined by an additional instructor who will teach a mixed-media art class. Brown and Benesh said they hope to expand the program in the coming semesters.
According to Brown, classes for Spanish-speakers have been offered by the center since January, but it is normal for classes to take time to generate interest.
“With any new program, it takes a while to get it together,” Brown said.
Brown said that it has been a challenge to compile the Spanish classes because the database was not geared towards Spanish speakers. She hopes to get all of the Spanish-taught classes up and running soon.
“We just want to really give everyone the opportunity to learn about the arts and engage in the arts,” Brown said.
Contact the reporter at Faith.Anne.Miller@asu.edu
