The logos pictured above are: our first logo (1990-1998) created by an artist in East Greenwich, who won our statewide logo contest. The sun logo branded our organization (all under one sun) from 1999-2004, and the color logo (far-right) was designed by local artist, Juán Manuel Cano of Warwick.
The Hispanic Heritage Committee of Rhode Island (HHCRI) is the state’s longest-running program dedicated to celebrating and advancing Latino art, cultures, and history. It was founded in 1988 by Chair and Founder Marta V. Martínez, who organized Rhode Island’s first statewide National Hispanic Heritage Week celebration that year. What began as a single week of cultural events quickly gained momentum. By 1989, the celebration had expanded, and by 1991 it became a month-long observance, aligning with the national designation of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15.
At the first official kickoff event in 1989, Martínez spoke to both the urgency and the promise of this work, stating:
Over time, HHCRI’s work expanded beyond celebration alone. One of its most lasting contributions has been creating pathways for Latino artists—many of whom faced language, cultural, or institutional barriers—to emerge, connect, and be recognized. The organization developed and continues to maintain a comprehensive Latinx Artists Directory and built partnerships that allowed artists to reach wider audiences. As the celebration grew from a week to a month in 1991, it made possible a broader range of programs, collaborations, and community engagement.
Today, HHCRI—now operating as Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA)—is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the longest continuously operating organization in Rhode Island dedicated exclusively to Latino art, culture, and history. While the organization has evolved to support year-round programming, exhibitions, theater, and storytelling initiatives, its mission has never changed. RILA continues to organize, promote, and support Latino artists and cultural bearers while commemorating National Hispanic Heritage Month each year from September 15 to October 15—ensuring that Latino culture in Rhode Island is not only celebrated, but sustained.
At the first official kickoff event in 1989, Martínez spoke to both the urgency and the promise of this work, stating:
- “Hispanic Heritage Week will be celebrated in Rhode Island for the first time in music, dance, and culture and will be a time for Hispanics to stand together and show our pride in our culture. It will be a chance to emphasize our similarities and work together in an effort to share our cultures with all people… Although many of these traditions have undergone changes and adaptations, Hispanics do not want them to become lost and forgotten after they arrive in their homeland.”
Over time, HHCRI’s work expanded beyond celebration alone. One of its most lasting contributions has been creating pathways for Latino artists—many of whom faced language, cultural, or institutional barriers—to emerge, connect, and be recognized. The organization developed and continues to maintain a comprehensive Latinx Artists Directory and built partnerships that allowed artists to reach wider audiences. As the celebration grew from a week to a month in 1991, it made possible a broader range of programs, collaborations, and community engagement.
Today, HHCRI—now operating as Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA)—is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the longest continuously operating organization in Rhode Island dedicated exclusively to Latino art, culture, and history. While the organization has evolved to support year-round programming, exhibitions, theater, and storytelling initiatives, its mission has never changed. RILA continues to organize, promote, and support Latino artists and cultural bearers while commemorating National Hispanic Heritage Month each year from September 15 to October 15—ensuring that Latino culture in Rhode Island is not only celebrated, but sustained.
2013
A Name That Reflects Our Work
Our new name—Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA)—more clearly reflects what we do and strengthens a mission that has remained consistent since our founding.
In 2013, as we marked our 25th anniversary, we made intentional changes to reflect how our work had evolved in response to community needs. While our mission did not change, our scope expanded beyond a single annual celebration to support year-round artistic creation, cultural exchange, and collective learning. We committed to creating, stimulating, and supporting artistic activities and cultural interaction among Latino and non-Latino artists by:
In 2013, as we marked our 25th anniversary, we made intentional changes to reflect how our work had evolved in response to community needs. While our mission did not change, our scope expanded beyond a single annual celebration to support year-round artistic creation, cultural exchange, and collective learning. We committed to creating, stimulating, and supporting artistic activities and cultural interaction among Latino and non-Latino artists by:
- Developing stronger networking opportunities among artists and arts organizations
- Working more closely with local galleries and museums to create space for artists to exhibit their work
- Providing deeper educational experiences for artists, professionals, students, youth, and families through exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions, book presentations, and public conversations
- Building alliances among public and private entities engaged in arts and cultural programming.
2017
Creating Space for Artists
In 2016, we took the next step in strengthening our cultural infrastructure by opening La Galería del Pueblo, our first physical arts space. The gallery opened at 2154 Broad Street in Pawtuxet Village, Cranston, to a packed house of artists and supporters. From the very first day, it was clear that artists were seeking a home like ours—one rooted in community, cultural pride, and mutual support. After 18 months, La Galería relocated to a larger space in Central Falls to better serve artists and audiences.
Today, La Galería @ RILA is more than an exhibition space. It houses a visual arts gallery, hosts artist creative circles, serves as the home of Teatro del Pueblo and our Black Box performance space, and is the official home of Nuestras Raíces the Latino Oral History Archives of Rhode Island.
Looking Ahead
RILA’s staff and board are currently engaged in a three-year planning process to identify a larger, more permanent cultural home—one that will allow us to deepen our impact, expand access, and continue supporting Latino artists and cultural bearers across generations. Stay tuned.
Today, La Galería @ RILA is more than an exhibition space. It houses a visual arts gallery, hosts artist creative circles, serves as the home of Teatro del Pueblo and our Black Box performance space, and is the official home of Nuestras Raíces the Latino Oral History Archives of Rhode Island.
Looking Ahead
RILA’s staff and board are currently engaged in a three-year planning process to identify a larger, more permanent cultural home—one that will allow us to deepen our impact, expand access, and continue supporting Latino artists and cultural bearers across generations. Stay tuned.
The Hispanic Heritage Committee Rhode Island is the state's oldest celebration of Latino art & culture. It was formed in 1988 by Chair and Founder, Marta V. Martínez, who began organizing the first statewide Hispanic Heritage Week that year. The following Fall of 1989 and for the next three years, it grew until It became a month-long celebration in 1991. HHCRI continues to promote and support local Latino art and artists, and commemorates National Hispanic Heritage Month every year from September 15-October 15.
At the first kickoff event of Hispanic Heritage Week, 1989 Martínez's keynote address included the following:
These words continue to hold true today, as HHCRI plans for an ever-increasing Latino population, whose pride in its heritage is often jeopardized - particularly among younger generations - by pressures to assimilate into a new culture. According to the statistics of the US Census Bureau (April, 2011), the population has undergone a 30% increase since 2010, now numbering in Providence alone, over 67,000. Given that number, and the scarcity of organized bilingual/bicultural resources for Rhode Island's Latino immigrants, HHCRI feels that there is a need to fulfill one of the population's most personal needs - that is, a need for Latinos to express themselves and to stay deeply connected to their their art, culture and history.
HHCRI's achievements have been manifold. One of the best results of its community endeavors has been that many new Latino artists emerged from the shadows. HHCRI eventually assembled, and still maintains, a comprehensive Latinx Artist's Directory. Another indication of success is that the celebration of Hispanic Heritage went from a week to a month-long celebration in 1991, making possible a much greater range of activities and outreach incentives.
HHCRI's achievements have been recognized not only in the local arts community, but also by those in the political sector as well. In 2009, HHCRI partnered with Providence City Hall's Department of Art, Culture & Tourism, the Providence Latin-American Film Festival, Centro Cultural Latino and other community members to create a "Rhode Island Latino Community Celebration," which focused on presenting a dynamic series of arts events for all ages during Hispanic Heritage Month. In 2010, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts partnered to ensure the success of that year's celebration. And in 2011, the HHCRI received financial support from the Rhode Island Foundation to expand its programs and activities to include families and family-focused community organizations and museums. Joint programming and these important partnerships has allowed HHCRI to reach wider audiences who eagerly await the celebration, each fall, to see what new projects will be happening!
The greatest outcome of the HHCRI's efforts to promote Latino arts in the past 39 years, is that many Latino artists who may not have had the capacity - mainly because of language or cultural differences - were able to make important connections with the community at-large through our organization. Rhode Islanders have since enjoyed the rich culture of its local Spanish-speaking community, not only during the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, but throughout the year.
Today the Hispanic Heritage Committee of RI (HHCRI) is a (501(c) non-profit organization and we are the longest continuous non-profit organization that supports Latino art, culture, and history in the state. We continue to organize, promote and support local Latino art and artists and we still commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month every year from September 15-October 15.
At the first kickoff event of Hispanic Heritage Week, 1989 Martínez's keynote address included the following:
- "Hispanic Heritage Week will be celebrated in Rhode Island for the first time in music, dance, and culture and will be a time for Hispanics to stand together and show our pride in our culture. It will be a chance to emphasize our similarities and work together in an effort to share our cultures with all people. There are approximately 50,000 Hispanics living in Rhode Island, many of whom have brought with them the music, art, legends, literature and customs of the Latin-American and Caribbean cultures. Although many of these traditions have undergone changes and adaptations, Hispanics do not want them to become lost and forgotten after they arrive to their homeland...."
These words continue to hold true today, as HHCRI plans for an ever-increasing Latino population, whose pride in its heritage is often jeopardized - particularly among younger generations - by pressures to assimilate into a new culture. According to the statistics of the US Census Bureau (April, 2011), the population has undergone a 30% increase since 2010, now numbering in Providence alone, over 67,000. Given that number, and the scarcity of organized bilingual/bicultural resources for Rhode Island's Latino immigrants, HHCRI feels that there is a need to fulfill one of the population's most personal needs - that is, a need for Latinos to express themselves and to stay deeply connected to their their art, culture and history.
HHCRI's achievements have been manifold. One of the best results of its community endeavors has been that many new Latino artists emerged from the shadows. HHCRI eventually assembled, and still maintains, a comprehensive Latinx Artist's Directory. Another indication of success is that the celebration of Hispanic Heritage went from a week to a month-long celebration in 1991, making possible a much greater range of activities and outreach incentives.
HHCRI's achievements have been recognized not only in the local arts community, but also by those in the political sector as well. In 2009, HHCRI partnered with Providence City Hall's Department of Art, Culture & Tourism, the Providence Latin-American Film Festival, Centro Cultural Latino and other community members to create a "Rhode Island Latino Community Celebration," which focused on presenting a dynamic series of arts events for all ages during Hispanic Heritage Month. In 2010, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts partnered to ensure the success of that year's celebration. And in 2011, the HHCRI received financial support from the Rhode Island Foundation to expand its programs and activities to include families and family-focused community organizations and museums. Joint programming and these important partnerships has allowed HHCRI to reach wider audiences who eagerly await the celebration, each fall, to see what new projects will be happening!
The greatest outcome of the HHCRI's efforts to promote Latino arts in the past 39 years, is that many Latino artists who may not have had the capacity - mainly because of language or cultural differences - were able to make important connections with the community at-large through our organization. Rhode Islanders have since enjoyed the rich culture of its local Spanish-speaking community, not only during the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, but throughout the year.
Today the Hispanic Heritage Committee of RI (HHCRI) is a (501(c) non-profit organization and we are the longest continuous non-profit organization that supports Latino art, culture, and history in the state. We continue to organize, promote and support local Latino art and artists and we still commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month every year from September 15-October 15.
"On behalf of the Hispanic Heritage Week Committee of Rhode Island, we welcome you to our celebration and hope that you enjoy the coming events.
1989 marks the first annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Week in Rhode Island, and it is also the 20th anniversary of National Hispanic Heritage Week. In September 1969, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a proclamation designating the week of September 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Week, thus recognizing Hispanic contributions to American culture.
Hispanic Heritage Week will be celebrated in Rhode Island for the first time music, dance, and culture and will be a time for Hispanics to stand together and show our pride in our culture. It will be a chance to emphasize our similarities and work together in an effort to share our cultures with all people. There are approximately 50,000 Hispanics living in Rhode Island, many of whom have brought with them the music, art, legends, literature and customs of the Latin-American and Caribbean cultures. Although many of these traditions have undergone changes and adaptations, Hispanics do not want them to become lost and forgotten after they arrive to their homeland. We look forward to sharing the special culture of our homelands with the entire Rhode Island community."
Written and read at the kick-off event of the first Hispanic Heritage Week by Marta V. Martínez Founder, Hispanic Heritage Week-RI, 1989.
