A museum located in an otherwise touristy area, but reflects the culture and climate of the city. Originally this gallery belonged to the only Latino Smithsonian extension, but in 2012 the city took it over. A great place to experience South Texas art and cultural and political themes. The gallery is free, which makes it a nice activity with kids in the summer. The area is also home to many shops and restaurants that have served as San Antonio institutions. Parking can be tricky, but there are a few city lots close by. Only open Wednesday to Sunday. read more

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I have been to market square several times this past couple of months having visitors and finally I catch this art gallery open! My visitor from New York City love art and museums. To my surprise this was one place we ended up spending almost 2 hours! At first it doesn't feel that interesting but you need to give a closer look to each piece of art. Lots of abstract meanings. I did enjoy a lot of the upstairs paintings specially about today politics If you are in market square do not miss checking it out. It is free and a nice way to cool down read more

Centro de Artes - Art Galleries Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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I was walking around downtown San Antonio and Historic Market Square last weekend. I hadn't been in the area in ages, and I decided to explore for a morning. Then all of a sudden, I saw this cool building - modern, colorful, striking. I saw a sign - something about art and free - and walked right in. So what's Centro de Artes? San Antonio briefly had a Smithsonian affiliated museum (2007-2013), but in that beautiful building built for that museum is now Centro de Artes. Centro de Artes is a free gallery/museum dedicated to telling the story of the Latino experience in the US with a focus on South Texas though local and regional art, history and culture, and a commitment to showcasing the transnational experience of Latinos in the US. When I visited, they had two exhibits - one on the first floor and one on the second. On the first was "Madre_Land: South Texas Memory & the Art of Making a Home." On the second was "Cuentos y Arte: Mexican American Folk Art Tales of the Southwest." Both exhibits were incredible. So many of the pieces were beautiful, interesting, striking, ... So many of them were created by young artists from San Antonio or South Texas. I was really blown away by the work in these exhibits. The building is beautiful, the exhibits (if these are anything to go on) are incredible, the location is great (close to so many downtown San Antonio sites), and it's free. What more could you want? read more

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Free art gallery located in the Historic Market Square. Thoughtful collection of art with cultural and historical significance. Spent about an hour here between the 2 stories. I found it to be well curated and not overwhelming. read more

Centro de Artes - Art Galleries Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I came to this exhibit with Thing Two yesterday to see the feature exhibits. Currently, the centro de artes gallery features two modern Latin X creatives. This establishment is located in the heart of downtown in Historic Market Square. Centro de Artes gallery is a two-story exhibit space dedicated to telling the story of the Latino experience in the United States with a focus on South Texas through local and regional art, history and culture, and showcasing Latino artists and Latino-themed artworks. This is free to the public and no drinks nor food are allowed. The first feature is Millennial Lotería (on the first floor) Lotería (Spanish word meaning "lottery") is a traditional Mexican board game of chance, similar to bingo, and is played on a deck of cards instead of numbered ping pong balls. The traditional Loteria originated in Italy, moved to Spain, and finally came to Mexico in 1769. Initially played by the colonial Mexican elite, it eventually was embraced by all social classes. In Mexico, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, traveling ferias (fairs) would set up in ranchlands and small towns on the weekends, and many people would go out to them, especially to play Loteria. Millennial Lotería is a hilarious and insightful parody of the classic game Lotería. This exhibition highlights all things millennial in this version of Loteria. Born from the viral Instagram platform, this game reimagines La Dama as La Feminist, El Catrín as El Hipster, and Las Jaras as La Hashtag.The creator of this version of Loteria, Mike Alfaro, used his knowledge of Hispanic insights to advise and direct multiple award-winning advertising campaigns geared toward a multicultural audience. By showcasing the reimagined cards, this exhibit aims to provide a snapshot of modern Latinx life while also exploring and breaking stereotypes from Hispanic-American history, like colorism, classism, and homophobia. Thing Two and enjoyed looking at all the Lotería cards and themes. Second feature On the second floor, Froy Padilla Aragón displays his first exhibition outside of Mexico. Efedefroy comes to San Antonio to showcase his reimagined pop culture icons currently installed on a larger-than-life scale. When walking through this exhibition, visitors learn about his process and the inspiration behind his work.. Examples of his work in this include pieces in which Frida Kahlo is depicted as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's and Mark Hamill with Mexican actress Maria Felix depicted as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia from Star Wars. If in the area, this gallery should be visited as it is free, a great way to beat the heat on a hot TX day, and is truly unique. read more

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This is a great gallery with interesting art exhibits that explore culture and tradition. The location is great, right in Market square and their exhibits change often enough that it's worth going back every few months. The open space makes it easy to navigate and displays the art well. It truly is a lovely place to stop for a taste of art and culture. read more

I had the pleasure of catching the MILLENNIAL LOTERÍA: THE LATINXPERIENCE located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, at Centro de Artes! Mike Alfaro, the founder and creator of Millennial Loteria, could not have picked a better city to kick off this masterpiece of a collection. Submerse yourself in the hilarity and nostalgia for low cost of FREE (For locals)! If you like this review, please follow me on TikTok and Instagram: @KrisPBacon210 read more

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Centro de Artes is a great little excursion to view free culturally relevant rotating art exhibits! I had the pleasure of attending an artist talk (just one on a list of events the venue offers throughout the year) to hear from some of the photographers and curator of their current exhibit: From SA to SA. Getting to hear the stories behind the artwork is always a nice touch, and the event also provided light food and drink. Popping in when you already find yourself at Market Square is the best way to go. Keep in mind, if you are traveling to this side of town just for the museum, you will have to pay for parking in one of the various lots surrounding the area. I can vouch that the Goodwill across the street offers one hour free, which could be just enough time to browse if need be! Ultimately, it is clear that Centro de Artes puts a lot of effort and emotion into choosing their pieces and I think it is such a neat way to represent our city! read more

Centro de Artes - Art Galleries Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The gallery is reopening after being closed due to covid. Admission is free and the artwork is amazing. I love the large gallery space across two floors. Take a break from Market Square and walk into this beautiful and inspiring space. read more

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I was able to check this place out because of a Yelp event. It's always free admission for everyone. They have two floors of cool and interesting art. I like some more than others. I recommend stopping by if you are interested in opening your mind and doing something different. You will be by shops and plenty of food options after you are done with Centro de Artes. read more

I stopped in here with a small group as we had just finished lunch at the Market Square. This art gallery was definitely a surprise. First I didn't know it was on the agenda, which was cool. Second it is located in the Market Square, but kind of hidden at the same time. And third there were some amazing pieces here. It seems like hey have a different artists that change out at different times of the year. I was fortunate enough see the Angel Rodriguez-Diaz A Retrospective and the A Woman's Place Is exhibits. It was all beautiful, interesting and impressive work. The gallery had a peaceful and relaxing feel as well. If you are in the area and like going to museums and art galleries then definitely stop in here and check it out! It was totally work it! read more

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This is located in the El Mercado area, we really enjoyed all the artwork on display and i'll post some pics of the stellar paintings. The artwork was amazing. I think it changes all the time, and it's free! This display was titled Icons and symbols of the badlands and runs until December the 17th. read more

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If you are visiting San Antonio and staying on the Riverwalk, do yourself a favor and venture out past the souvenir shops to this great little museum. Entry is free and they feature work of local artists. Right now the exhibit features some amazing works from the University of Texas' collection. The works included a range of styles and media, and we enjoyed it a great deal. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the works on display. As an added bonus, the building is air conditioned, so a visit also offers an opportunity to cool off on a hot humid day! read more

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Wondered by this place from walking through the Marketplace. As soon as we walked in a security guard at the desk asked if he could help us and then briefly explained what they had going on. We decided to go and look at the art they had displayed which was amazing. There were live performances going on so it was nice to get a glimpse of that. A nice lady then reminded us that there was an art area for the kids and we quickly headed over. The kids got to make animal masks with the help of student volunteers. The nice lady also offered my boys some butterfly wings which I thought was awesome and my boys were so excited. This experience was amazing can't wait to go back and so what other great displays and activities they offer. read more

Centro de Artes - Art Galleries Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The art inside is inspirational, many great work by various artists. Some of my favorite piece are by Emilia Cruz read more

Centro de Artes - Art Galleries Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Great space! Staff is extremely friendly! Lots of room to move. Ability to see art close up or from afar.

Do not miss this outstanding gallery! It's within the El Mercado area, and has or had some affiliation with the Smithsonian museum. Texas A&M San Antonio now runs the gallery. I saw the "Angel Rodriguez Diaz: A Retrospective" exhibit. There was a well-considered selection of art created by Diaz, and the information plaques next to each piece highlighted interesting information about each piece. Free admission. NOTE: It's a real shame, but the Yelp gatekeepers won't allow updates with correct information for this gallery. If you are interested in learning more about Centro de Artes, don't bother with the link shown here on yelp (which, as I reported to them, is a dead link). Instead, go to the program's website at http://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/Explore-San-Antonio/City-Exhibits/Centro-de-Artes. It's at this site because it is now part of the Dept. of Arts and Culture. read more

I was reviewing my reviews tonight and I noticed that the name of the business had been changed. This is NOT a "Leasing" business. I was the first to review, and I do not know why Yelp! added "Leasing" to the name. I certainly don't believe I did this. This is an exhibition/gallery space operated by the University of A&M. Formerly, it was the Smithsonian affiliated Almeda Museum. It was then largely supported by the City of San Antonio. It is my understanding that the City owns the building and may kick in some money for basic operations, but staffing and other concerns have been handed off to A&M. I don't see a way I can correct the name, so if some Yelp! geek is out there, it would be beneficial if the name could be corrected. Thanks! read more