Jun 27, 2025 - News
MACC honors cultural contributors
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The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center this weekend will hand out its Awards of Excellence.
Why it matters: The awards, established in 2009, recognize people in Austin who have demonstrated significant leadership and made meaningful contributions in Latino cultural arts.
Zoom in: This year's honorees include:
- Courtney Enriquez, who has painted murals at Juan in a Million restaurant and whose solo exhibit at La Peña Gallery opens in July.
- Claudia Chapa, a performer and curator of Hispanic and Latinx programming at the Austin Opera, where she leads efforts to expand access to opera.
- Jesus "Chuy" Chacon, artistic director at Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklórico de Texas since 1994.
- Walter Guzmán, founder and director of the Guzmán Ballet Folklórico, and the organizer of a Mexican festival in Indonesia.
Plus: Lifetime achievement winners include beloved long-time broadcaster Fred Cantú and performer and environmental activist Daniel Llanes.
- Of note: Llanes' daughter, former Austin mayoral candidate Carmen Llanes Pulido, recently launched a fundraiser after her father was diagnosed with liver cancer.
📺 What's next: The event at the Long Center on Saturday is by invitation only, but the public can watch a livestream on Facebook.