The Laredo Cultural District is welcoming two new South Texas state-recognized cultural districts — the Mitte Cultural District and Edinburg Cultural Arts — to explore future collaborations.
The LCD congratulated two of the four cultural districts that will receive state designation this month. The Mitte Cultural District is based in Brownsville, Cameron County, while Edinburg Cultural Arts is based in Edinburg, Hidalgo County.
Along with congratulating the two districts, the Laredo Cultural District also expressed interest in collaborating with the Mitte Cultural District and Edinburg Cultural Arts, something it has not yet done with other cultural districts across the state.
“We’re hoping to meet with the newly formed cultural districts and see how we can establish collaborations,” said Jorge Santana, artistic and program director of LCD. He said sculptors, musicians and artists could visit one another’s districts to share the cultural value of their communities.
“It’s important to know what other artists are doing in your state,” he said. “Artistry, creativity is something to be shared and we can always learn from each other.”
Santana said earning a state cultural district designation can be a lengthy process. According to the Texas Commission on the Arts, a state cultural district is a special zone designated by the commission.
The Laredo Cultural District was officially designated Sept. 9, 2021. The Mitte Cultural District and Edinburg Cultural Arts will be designated later this month.