El Consulado Unites the Venezuelan Community Through Art
NEW YORK - El Consulado Center for the Arts has launched an innovative series of community-focused programs designed to strengthen connections among the Venezuelan diaspora in New York City. The initiative, titled "Raíces Compartidas" (Shared Roots), combines workshops, exhibitions, and collaborative art-making to create spaces for cultural exchange and community building.
"We're creating more than just an art center—we're building a cultural home for Venezuelans in New York who have lacked consular representation and institutional support for years," explains Alejandra Mandelblum, Visual Arts Director at El Consulado.
Collaborative Art as Community Building
The centerpiece of the initiative is a large-scale collaborative mural project that will engage over 200 community members across multiple boroughs. Participants will create individual panels reflecting their experiences of migration, memory, and cultural identity, which will then be assembled into a cohesive installation at El Consulado's main gallery.
"Art has always been a powerful tool for community building," notes Rafael Carrero, Music Arts Director. "When people create together, they share stories, build relationships, and discover common ground despite different backgrounds or political perspectives."
Programming Across Boroughs
The initiative extends beyond El Consulado's downtown location with satellite workshops in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx—areas with significant Venezuelan populations. These neighborhood-based programs include:
- Weekend art workshops for families led by resident artists
- Community story circles documenting migration experiences
- Music and dance sessions featuring traditional Venezuelan forms
- Culinary exchanges celebrating regional dishes and food traditions
Creating Cultural Representation
For many participants, the programs offer a rare opportunity to connect with Venezuelan culture in a city where formal representation has been limited.
"Since the diplomatic rupture years ago, Venezuelans in the U.S. have had to create their own support networks," says Leonard Zelig, co-director of the collective. "El Consulado transforms this necessity into an opportunity by reimagining what cultural representation can look like—not through bureaucracy but through creative community building."
Digital Documentation
The initiative also includes a digital archive component, documenting participants' stories through photography, video, and audio recordings. These materials will form the basis of an online repository and future exhibitions exploring Venezuelan diaspora experiences.
"We're not just creating art for today—we're preserving cultural memory for future generations," explains Lolo Bello, Cinematic Arts Director.
Community Response
The program has already drawn significant interest from community members eager to participate.
"I've lived in New York for fifteen years, and this is the first time I've felt like I have a cultural home here," says participant Maria Gonzalez. "Creating art together brings back memories of Venezuela while helping us build new connections in our adopted city."
Upcoming Events
The "Raíces Compartidas" initiative will continue throughout the summer and culminate in a major exhibition and community celebration in September 2025. Registration for upcoming workshops is available on El Consulado's website, with scholarships available for those needing financial assistance.
Source: El Diario NY