Cultural Coalition, Inc

Cultural Coalition's mission is to connect communities and generations to ancestral knowledge and practices through artistic cultural preservation and programs that celebrate Chicano, Latiné, and Indigenous heritages.

Since 1996, Cultural Coalition has lived its mission to connect communities and generations to ancestral knowledge and practices through artistic cultural preservation and programs that celebrate Chicano, Latiné, and Indigenous heritage. Our organization and artists produced the first Día de los Muertos celebration in Phoenix over 20 years ago, which has evolved into the largest free día de los muertos festival in Phoenix, focused on featuring the traditional origins of the holidays' indigenous roots. Cultural Coalition now produces 4 annual cultural arts festivals in Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe, all provided for free to our communities. We remove economic and geographic barriers, providing free arts engagement opportunities in public spaces where underserved communities live. We expanded our reach, producing more online content to provide greater accessibility to the arts, preserving cultural objects, and traditional practices by capturing them on film. Our programs uplift Chicano, Latiné, and Indigenous artists, storytellers, folklorico dancers, mariachi musicians, traditional healers/curanderas, and more, as professional practitioners of ancestral traditions to instill cultural pride in our communities. Our free daily after school arts program operates inside a low income housing complex, provides free meals, homework help, and arts activities to racially diverse youth in grades K-6.

Testimonials

"The lunch program is the best thing for the children in our neighborhood. It helps the families out when the children come home from school and the ones that are doing remote learning.
Thank you for feeding our children!" From El Rancho del Arte and del Sol Management Staff

"My grandchildren go to the program with the Cultural Coalition. They have a snack and really enjoy it. I must say it is the best afterschool program.
Thank you," Israel B.

"I just couldn't wait all summer to come back here. I'm so happy to be here now." -Jose P., 5th grade

"I love the enrichment and authenticity that you provide for this festival. I did not grow up in the regions of my ancestors. I imagine our celebrations are an expansive expression of their traditions and culture. Thank you" Mikiztli Artist Performer

"My favorite part of the vent was the people and the culture, hearing peoples stories. And the music for sure." Portal Fest attendee

"Thank you so much for all you do! I am happy we have organizations in place like the Cultural Coalition to pass down the arts, storytelling and traditions to our next generation. " Adrian G, storytelling & artist talk attendee