TIJUANA, B. C. – In an effort to promote artistic activities for the youth who reside in Southern California, such as Mexican performing arts and other types of artistic expressions like film and visual arts, these are the first few steps that the head director of the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT), Pedro Ochoa Palacio, has taken with cultural institutions from San Diego, California.
Using his previous experience as the Cultural Attache in the Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, Pedro Ochoa has now begun his binational agenda as instructed by Rafael Tovar y de Teresa who is the president of the National Council for Culture and the Arts, to work for a stronger presence and promotion of Mexican art and culture abroad.
Out of the several meetings that Pedro Ochoa has already held, one of them was with muralist and art teacher, Victor Ochoa, who also holds art workshops for Latino children that live in areas adjacent to Chicano Park, and whom on April 20, 2013 will be a special guest at the CECUT, which is a date that will mark the 43rd anniversary of the Chicano Park Day.
“We are pleased to see the director’s interest in participating in this festival, because for children art workshops represent an alternative entertainment, which in turn is often transformed in the discovery of new talents,” said Victor Ochoa.
In the same approach to address the arts among children, Pedro Ochoa was visited by the executive director of the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, who took a tour through the different rooms of the CECUT that are intended for children’s activities.
Javier Guerrero was surprised by the way certain spaces were used liked the Children’s Reading Room, The Early Development Room for Infants, The Nutrition and Interactive Areas that is part of the Museum of the Californias, along with the activities room that they also operate.
Enthusiastic to establish different forms of collaboration, Guerrero offered to work on a proposal to exchange activities and collections, which is something already now in process. The young public official attended the CECUT accompanied by the manager of exhibitions, Bill Schmidt, education and program manager, Colleen Slotman, and the marketing coordinator of the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Rebecca Grecue.
Through all of this cooperation a decision was also made in the last two weeks, which will make the CECUT an alternative site that will host the Latino Film Festival 2013. Something that was made possible through Carlos Sarabia, coordinator of the Cineteca Tijuana, who in representation of Pedro Palacio, attended the last press conference across the border for the announcement of this festival. So now from March 7 to the 14, the Carlos Monsivais hall at the CECUT is where the best 10 films in its history, as well as others, will be screened as part of the 20th anniversary of the San Diego Latino Film Festival. Show times will be at 4, 6 and 8:30p.m.
If you would like more information of our activities, please visit our website at www.cecut.gob.mx