ASU and SAMFA Team up for 'Art After Dark: Dia de Los Muertos'

SAN ANGELO, TX - Many Texans have heard of Dia de Los Muertos, seen the artwork, and have maybe even gone to one of the festivals; however, many people still don't know the significance of the holiday. Therefore, for those wanting to learn more, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, located at One Love Street, will be hosting its first annual 'Art After Dark: Dia de Los Muertos' event Thursday, October 27, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will take place inside the museum, along the river corridor, and extend into Old Town.

SAMFA Event Coordinator Bekah Coleman said, "It is an event that we do in partnership with Angelo State University, and downtown artists, to introduce all to different kinds of art and cultural heritage. Several ASU organizations will have interpretational booths, including a Day of the Dead altar located at the back of the museum. The Multicultural Center at ASU will be helping create things to be placed on the altar and talking about the traditional holiday." 

ASU's own Tri-Beta (National Biological Honor Society) will also have the natural history collection from the university, and will be helping people with Marigolds and Monarchs activities. Additionally, they will talk about the historical relevance of those two things in the culture. 

Free art activities will be included, as well as a traditional dress contest with cash prizes.

"We will have different performances going on, including a Mariachi band from Lincoln Junior High School, a Ballet Folklorico group, and a Selena tribute band (Trina y Los Extranos) will perform, added Coleman. "Our job is to do interpretation; teach it's educational element. We have a large Spanish colonial collection here at the museum, and that's one of the reasons we can talk about this from the museum's perspective.  ASU Students from the Multicultural Center contributed the 'lingo' to create educational videos we have on our Facebook." 

Coleman said last year, SAMFA had about 2,000 people show up for the event, and the staff hopes to have an extra 500-1,000 this year. Admission is free and there are different organizations, including ASU's Art Fraternity Kappa Pi, Friday Night Art Club, Spanish Club and other organizations that will be selling art, face painting and more.

"I'm excited because I will have a friend who will be performing in it, and there will also be a separate Selena altar so people can memorialize her too," said Coleman. "We'll have food vendors set up, an Instagram hunt--it's just a huge outdoor festival for families to enjoy that showcases the museum, our culture and ASU. The more people who show up the better."

 For more information, visit www.samfa.org, or the museum's Facebook page by searching San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.