3rd annual Festival del Rancho returns to Anderson Ranch Arts Center

Anderson Ranch is hosting the third annual Festival del Rancho in celebration of Latino and Hispanic culture through art, dance, music, food, and more. This free gathering, which is on Sept. 16 from 1-5 p.m., welcomes all community members to attend and enjoy an afternoon of music, dance, food, and art activities for all ages. 

Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a premiere destination for art-making and critical dialogue in contemporary arts and is proud to share the continuation of community programs that will strengthen services to the region through Latino arts and culture offerings.

Programming under this initiative is made possible by a significant gift donated by the J. Christopher and Anne N. Reyes Foundation. The ranch has the support to develop and execute a multi-faceted, three-year program with the goal of uniting artists and art enthusiasts around a shared interest in Latino arts and culture.

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“The concept behind this multifaceted program is simple — the shared experience of art and art making builds better understanding. Anderson Ranch is a national leader in arts education that attracts talent from around the world. We are excited to feature leading contemporary Latinx artists in the community as they share their work and artmaking practices with local teachers, students, and the wider community,” said Ranch President and CEO Peter Waanders in a press release.

The afternoon will include the following lineup of live music and entertainment:

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1:15–1:50 p.m.: Mezcla Socials Dance Lesson

2–3 p.m.: SONTRES Band; a Denver-based Salsa, Cumbia, and Merengue band

3:15–4 p.m.: Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico

4:15–5 p.m.: Dance Party with DJ Joeli with performances by Mezcla’s Ensemble and Roaring Fork Divas

Kids of all ages can make tissue-paper flowers, hojalata ornaments, and engage in our community booths hosted by the Aspen Music Festival and School as well as the Basalt Regional Library. Free lunch will be served by Axkawa: Señor Taco Show followed by sweet treats for dessert by Colorado Fruit Design. And if that wasn’t enough, the beautiful and poignant artwork of visiting artists Maria De Los Angeles and Ronald Rael will be available for viewing in the Patton-Malott Gallery.

“We are excited to host these offerings for our community while at the same time building a model that has real impact. We are honored that the Reyes Foundation chose to work with the Ranch on this initiative. It magnifies the impact of the arts in creating change in the evolution of our programming and continues to build a dynamic and inclusive Ranch community,” said Waanders.

Additional programming under this initiative includes:

“Latinx Visiting Artists Program“ (Oct. 1-21): Anderson Ranch is welcoming Latino artists De Los Angeles and Rael to campus this fall. They will be at the ranch working as visiting artists in the studios and participating in the “Latinx Arts and Education Workshop” and a public “Panel Discussion: The Art of Belonging,” moderated by the director of Protégete at Conservation Colorado, Beatriz Soto. 

“Gallery Reception: Materials of Belonging” (Oct. 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m.): De Los Angeles and Rael present works that have been stitched with disparate methods and perspectives to find connections or divides in social, political, and physical realities. Rael uses unique fabrication approaches in bringing material, software, and hardware experiments together to demonstrate architectural and structural potential. De Los Angeles will be showcasing her ceramic work made at Anderson Ranch during her time as a visiting artist. 

“Latinx Arts and Education Workshop” (Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-4p.m.): Local teachers and community leaders are invited to take mini-workshops in ranch studios with De Los Angeles and Rael and learn how to apply custom-built “Latinx Art Curriculum” to their own educational spaces. 

Panel Discussion: The Art of Belonging (Oct. 7, 4-5 p.m.): De Los Angeles and Rael will be joined by Soto to discuss concepts of belonging in their work. 

“2024 LatinxSummer Workshop Scholarships”: Anderson Ranch continues a “Latinx Scholarship Program” that invites local schools to nominate one current student to participate in a summer workshop. Scholarship support covers the cost of tuition, studio supplies, and registration fees. This summer, 8 students received scholarships and attended workshops at the ranch. Due to robust support for this program, approximately 8 students will be welcomed to the ranch to participate in children’s and youth workshops free of charge in the summer of 2024. Although this program focuses on youth, scholarships for adults who identify as Latino are also available.

With this much-anticipated programming now in place, the ranch encourages all community members to participate in and enjoy the shared experiences these gatherings provide.