“Let’s Talk in Spanish” Begins on November 10
Founded in 2012 as a creative hub for the Spanish-speaking Latino community in Sarasota and Manatee counties, the nonprofit seeks to forge a bilingual cultural exchange between Latinos and the community at large.
(Sarasota – Manatee) The CreArte Latino Cultural Center recently announced that it is expanding its programming for English speakers by offering conversational Spanish classes. The nonprofit, which was founded in 2012 as a creative hub for the Spanish-speaking Latino/Hispanic community in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, features “Conversemos en Español/Let’s Talk in Spanish,” designed for low to intermediate Spanish speakers. It starts November 10 and meets every Tuesday, 6:30-8 p.m., via the Zoom platform. Each session will focus on grammar instruction and conversations around specific topics: Spanish-speaking countries, art, food, travel, health and more. The first two sessions are free; the fee after that is $10 per session. The class is ongoing; students can join at any time. For more information about this program, visit www.creartelatino.org.
According to Carolina Franco, the president and artistic director of CreArte Latino Cultural Center, a large part of the organization’s mission is to offer educational initiatives that forge relationships with the surrounding community.
“We are passionate about nurturing various forms of art while working with people of all ages to create a cultural exchange between Latinos and the community at large,” says Franco. “
Franco explains that CreArte Latino became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2017 with the goal of producing four full-length plays annually along with a children’s theater presentation and a Spanglish improvisational comedy show. By 2019, the theater was producing nine plays a year, scripted and improvisational, collaborating with artists from Sarasota and throughout Latin America. CreArte Latino also hosts concerts with Latin performers.
“Though the pandemic has limited our in-person events for the moment, CreArte Latino continues to strategize and find fresh, bilingual ways to build and engage a wider audience,” says Franco. “We’ve recently received a $5,000 grant from CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) for masks, sanitizers, signs and other equipment to make public events safe.” She adds that volunteers are finishing up construction on the Center’s home at 8251 15th St. East, Sarasota. The new, much larger space includes a classroom, a smaller performance area and a theater large enough to adapt for social distancing.
To find out more about CreArte Latino, donate or register for activities, visit www.creartelatino.org or CreArte Latino on Facebook.