Cuentos de Centro Art Reception

Stories from the Middle - Central America

The Cuentos Del Centro Art will be on display from May 1 - May 31, 2026. A reception will be held on May 9 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the Simon Reading Room. Afterwards, from 12 - 4 p.m. performances from Latin American will be featured in our auditorium.

Central America, often referred to as the isthmus connecting North and South America, is composed of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama. While small in size, Central America contains a great amount of cultural and environmental diversity ranging from tropical rainforests, volcanic highlands, and coastal beaches, containing 7 percent of the world’s biodiversity while only being 0.5 percent of the world’s land area.  

The region is not only known for its biodiversity but also its cultural diversity. The Latino identity in Central America comes from a mixture of African, Indigenous, and Spanish influence that all blended after the 15th century. Indigenous and African crafts and cuisine influenced Spanish settlers and vice versa to create a new culture across these countries. This is where we get the Latino culture that we refer to in our modern day, it is a culture that has evolved and changed for over five hundred years. 

This exhibition brings artists of Central American heritage living in Indiana alongside art, crafts, and family artifacts from their country of origin. Cuentos del Centro gives a glimpse of the culture and traditions that these artists grew up around. By giving context of this part of their identity we create a connection between the artists, their culture, and how their heritage affects their practice.

Presented by Indiana Latino Arts, an initiative by Arte Mexicano en Indiana, in partnership with the Indianapolis Central Library.

Funded by Glick Philanthropies, Allenwhitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, the Indy Arts Council, the Library Foundation, and the Danny & Debbie Dean and the Danny R. Dean Fund

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