SAN ANTONIO — Centro San Antonio is calling on local artists and curators to help beautify its new pop-up gallery, as part of a larger goal of strengthening the Alamo City arts community.
The gallery, called Centro La Zona, is located off West Commerce just down the road from Market Square. Trish DeBerry, president and CEO of Centro San Antonio, talked about the space that is now filled with life.
"(We thought), 'Hey, we have an empty dead space, let's host art installations and bring in guest artists and really try to activate this space in a significant way,'" DeBerry said.
Centro San Antonio wants to continue to fill this space with art. However, this time they would like to extend an opportunity to local artists who may not have prior experience curating a showcase with multiple works.
"We are inviting guests artists who perhaps have never curated an exhibit or established a theme associated with it," she said.
The organization, which dedicates itself to downtown, has an ongoing open call. They're inviting artists to serve as guest curators for the new pop-up gallery.
"There is a great challenge associated with guest curation," DeBerry said. "But I also think it helps the artist understand what exactly goes into an exhibit."
DeBerry emphasized how the effort is in sync with a larger plan to make downtown more vibrant.
"From an economic standpoint, we are bringing attention and spotlight, as well as monetary investment in those artists," she said. "(By) the same token, we are bringing more people into downtown who will spend money down here because they like the beautiful art that exists."
Centro said this will be a monthly rotating opportunity. The organization said the curator will have one month to produce their shows, from curation to closing night, including move-out.
Information on application requirements and eligibility can be found here.