Semana Cultural Latina Iowa City 2025
Sept. 25–Oct. 16, 2025
Iowa City
Ongoing Exhibitions
Pop-Up Art Shows and Workshops / Exposiciones y Talleres de Arte Emergentes
In collaboration with cultural leaders and organizers of Semana Cultural Latina Iowa City, and sponsored by Arts Midwest, Colectivo Luchart brings a citywide series of pop-up exhibitions and interactive workshops.
The program features Latino, Latina, Latine, Chicano, Chicana, and Indigenous artists whose work honors heritage and celebrates the creativity, resilience, and contributions of Cultura Latina to Iowa’s cultural landscape.
Locations: The Englert Theatre, PS1 – C Press Co-op, PS1 Close House, PS1 North Side Gallery, Iowa City Public Library, Fountain Lobby Gallery at UIHC, and Stanley Museum of Art.
Little Luchadores
Sept. 16–Oct. 16
Iowa City Public Library, Children’s Area, 123 S. Linn St.
Photography exhibition by Miriam Alarcón Ávila. Presented by Colectivo Lucharte and the Iowa City Public Library.
Proximity
Sept. 17–Oct. 16
Iowa City Public Library, Children’s Area, 123 S. Linn St.
Exhibition by Mexican ceramic artist Perla Camacho, MFA candidate at the University of Iowa. Figurative works explore the deep connection between human bodies, nature, and water.
Dreams and Reflections of Flowering Worlds
Sept. 19–Oct. 25
PS1 North Side Gallery, 229 N. Gilbert St.
Exhibition by Nars Elizalde in collaboration with Public Space One and Colectivo Lucharte. The artist presents polymer clay sculptures inspired by ancestral worldviews and Indigenous cultural expressions.
- Artist Talk: Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m.
- Reception: Wednesday, Oct. 1, 6–8 p.m.
- Gallery Hours: Friday 4–6 p.m.; Saturday noon–3 p.m.
Pop-Up Art Shows and Workshops
Sept. 25–Oct. 5
Multiple locations: The Englert Theatre, PS1 – C Press Co-op, PS1 Close House, PS1 North Side Gallery, Iowa City Public Library, Fountain Lobby Gallery UIHC, Stanley Museum of Art
Presented by Colectivo Luchart in collaboration with cultural leaders of Semana Cultural Latina and sponsored by Arts Midwest. Featuring Latino, Latina, Latine, Chicano, Chicana, and Indigenous artists.
Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 25
Cinefamilia: Mexican Short Films
Thursday, Sept. 25
7–8 p.m.
FilmScene
A package of family-friendly short films provided courtesy of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE). Featuring award-winning titles from the past 15 years, these diverse works share stories of hope, cultural vibrancy, and cross-generational exchange. Free for kids, this one-hour program offers something for everyone and is sure to spark conversation. Buy tickets!
Saturday, Sept. 27
Piñata-Making and Horchata: Teen Latinx Cultural Event
Saturday, Sept. 27
1–3 p.m.
Teen Center, Iowa City Public Library
Middle and high school students are invited to celebrate with a piñata-making challenge and a friendly competition to see whose creation lasts the longest before spilling candy. Participants will also learn how to make horchata—a sweet rice-based drink flavored with cinnamon and star anise—and enjoy samples together. All supplies provided.
Monday, Sept. 29
Writing Workshop with Mauricio
Monday, Sept. 29
Time TBA
Location TBA
Details forthcoming.
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Spanish Bilingual Storytime
Tuesday, Sept. 30
10:30–11 a.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Storytime Room
Join Children’s Librarian Miriam for a lively bilingual storytime in Spanish and English. Each week introduces a new theme while building on familiar songs, stories, and rhymes to support language learning. Expect movement, music, dancing, and hands-on activities that make learning fun for all ages.
Connecting With Your Inner Voice
Tuesday, Sept. 30
5:30–8 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Room A
As part of Semana Cultural Latina, Colectivo Luchart is hosting Conectando Con Tu Voz Interior, a medicinal writing workshop led by writer Cueponi Cihuatl Espinoza. This workshop is designed to help you connect with your essence through reflective and healing writing practices.
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Artist Talk and Reception: Dreams and Reflections of Flowering Worlds
Wednesday, Oct. 1
5–8 p.m.
PS1 North Side Gallery, 229 N. Gilbert St.
Join visual artist Nars Elizalde (Hidalgo, Mexico), a graduate of the University of Iowa, for an artist talk on his exhibition Dreams and Reflections of Flowering Worlds. His work celebrates Mesoamerican values and traditions through sculpture and writing, exploring Indigenous cultural expressions and contemporary reflections on heritage and identity.
The evening continues with a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the exhibition.
Thursday, Oct. 2
Transitional Morbidity – Exhibition Opening with Perla Camacho
Thursday, Oct. 2
10 a.m.
Fountain Lobby Gallery, UIHC, 200 Hawkins Dr.
Mexican ceramic artist Perla Camacho explores health, nature, and everyday objects through figurative sculpture. This exhibition reflects her personal journey with illness, using texture and scale to invite empathy and connection. Access limited to UI Health Care patients, staff, and approved visitors.
Family Night: Fuerzas Culturales Ballet Folklórico
Thursday, Oct. 2
6–7 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Rooms A
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Fuerzas Culturales Ballet Folklórico de Cedar Rapids! Enjoy a performance, discover the rich traditions of Mexican culture, and learn a few beginner-friendly folklórico steps.
Friday, Oct. 3
School’s Out with Eulenspiegel Puppets
Friday, Oct. 3
2–3 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Rooms A
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Nacho and Yoyo’s Escapades, a bilingual puppet show that mixes elements of Iowa City’s barrio history with fantasy to tell the adventures of a chihuahua and an escaped circus monkey.
Printmaking Workshop with Seso Marentes
Friday, Oct. 3, 5–7 p.m.
PS1- Close House, 538 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City
Free workshop
Join artist Seso Marentes for a hands-on printmaking workshop. Create colorful 8×10 modern art prints using duct tape weaving and movement-based printing. All materials provided.
Crea impresiones artísticas modernas con cinta adhesiva y grabado en movimiento. Todos los materiales incluidos.
Saturday, Oct. 4
Capoeira Workshop
Saturday, October 4
10:30–11:30 a.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A, 123 S. Linn St.
Juan Lourido
Experience capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian art that blends music, dance, martial arts, and culture, with instructor Juan Lourido, founder of Legacy in Motion Academy.
Little Luchadores Artist Talk and Mask-Making Workshop
Saturday, October 4
12–1 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Room A, 123 S. Linn St.
Miriam Alarcón Avila, Luchador Latin Thunder
Join award-winning photographer Miriam Alarcón Avila to learn about her Immigrant Luchadores project and create your own luchador mask. Your portrait could be part of a future art installation.
Guitar Workshop
Saturday, October 4
1–2 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A, 123 S. Linn St.
R.J. Hernández
Interactive guitar workshop exploring Mexican rhythms and instruments, including guitarrón, vihuela, requinto, and classical guitars. R.J. Hernández is a musician, chef, and entrepreneur who has entertained audiences and educated young people about his culture for four decades. He is the leader and founding member of ensembles such as Las Guitarras de México “85,” Guitarras ATM “14,” and Los Carnales “24,” and was inducted into the 2023 Iowa Latino Hall of Fame.
Pop-Up Art Shows, Artist Talks
Saturday, October 4
2–3 p.m.
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A, 123 S. Linn St.
Colectivo Luchart artists
Meet and engage with artists from the Colectivo Luchart pop-up exhibitions presented during Semana Cultural Latina
Pop-Up Art Show: Iowa nICE, Make Iowa Nice Again
Saturday, Oct. 4
6:15 p.m.
The Englert Theatre, Mezzanine Gallery
Colectivo Luchart presents a pop-up exhibition by award-winning Mexican-born photographer and multimedia artist Miriam Alarcón Ávila. The show previews her interactive project Iowa nICE, Make Iowa Nice Again, which uses ice (ICE) as a metaphor for social coldness in Iowa and reimagines it as a source of inclusion, empathy, and hope.
Buyepongo
Saturday, Oct. 4
6:30–9 p.m.
The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St.
Price: $10–$25
The Englert Theatre presents Buyepongo!, an L.A.-based band bringing their infectious Buyangu sound to Iowa City. Fusing cumbia with hip-hop, punk, funk, and jazz, their music delivers a high-energy tropical mix rooted in Latin American traditions.
Buyepongo has shared the stage with artists such as Common, Quantic, Chicano Batman, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and has performed at SXSW, The Fillmore, and major festivals nationwide. Their vibrant sound and electric performances continue to captivate audiences around the world.
Sunday, Oct. 5
Alebrije Workshop
Sunday, Oct. 5
12–3 p.m.
Stanley Museum of Art
Join artist Miriam Alarcón Ávila for a hands-on workshop exploring alebrijes—brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures that blend elements of animals both real and imagined. Participants will learn about the history of alebrijes, from their origins in 1930s Mexico City to the wood-carving traditions of Oaxaca, and then create their own vibrant sculptures to take home.
Pop-Up Art Show: Iowa nICE, Make Iowa Nice Again
Sunday, Oct. 5
5:30 p.m.
The Englert Theatre, Mezzanine Gallery
Colectivo Luchart presents a pop-up exhibition by award-winning Mexican-born photographer and multimedia artist Miriam Alarcón Ávila. The show previews her interactive project Iowa nICE, Make Iowa Nice Again, which uses ice (ICE) as a metaphor for social coldness in Iowa and reimagines it as a source of inclusion, empathy, and hope.
Entretejiendo Corazones: Música, Danza, Poesía y Memoria
Sunday, Oct. 5
6–7:15 p.m.
The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St.
This event is a production of choreographer and artistic director Eloy Barragán, associate professor in the Department of Dance at the University of Iowa. His creative work combines contemporary dance, memory, and Latin American traditions. Visit dance.uiowa.edu/people/eloy-barragan for more details.
At 5:30 p.m., Colectivo LuchArt will present a Pop-Up Art Show featuring the work of Miriam Alarcón Avila, Iowa NICE, Make Iowa Nice Again, in the mezzanine gallery. From 5:30 to 5:55 p.m., Sunset Salsa will play live salsa music on stage. From 5:30 to 5:55 p.m., Sunset Salsa will play live salsa music on stage.