Walking through the university’s downtown arts facility, arts administrator Joseph Bravo paused in front of the wall-sized mission statement to reflect on Centro de Artes’ mission statement and red flame logo which focuses on the enlightenment of art, education, and culture.
“We are here to light candles and to share the torch of enlightenment,” Bravo said. “And that is the greatest privilege in this world.”
Bravo, hired Jan. 4 by Texas A&M University-San Antonio, replaced Alicia Viera, the cultural programs director previously hired by the City of San Antonio who vacated the position in Oct. 2015.
In his brief time at the facility, Bravo focused on bringing the community new exhibitions and programing with events that will bring more people to the Centro de Artes.
“It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about this place, and the potential of this place, and how it’s going to change lives in the community.”
Joseph M. Bravo, Centro de Artes art administrator, explains Carolina G. Flores’ paintings of family and significant people in her life, past and present. The show, Nuestra Gente: Celebrating People Past and Present, runs Jan. 7-May 8. Photo by Paul Fernandez
Centro de Artes serves as the university’s educational outreach for the community and tourists. The center also aims to elevate the brand of quality artwork from established and selected artists.
Bravo, a native of San Antonio, earned his bachelor’s degree in humanities and master’s degree in art history and criticism from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
He said the mission for art, education and culture is a personal and professional mission shared by both himself and the university. He added that sharing stories through works of art with an educational and cultural appreciation is a shared knowledge that can change lives.
“When I see the faces light up, that is priceless,” Bravo said.
Bravo said he was there the day the facility — formerly the Museo Alameda — opened in 2007, and since then has taken an active interest in the facility.
“I have always been fascinated by the possibilities,” Bravo said.
The downtown Market Square area hosts many locally owned shops, handcrafted works of art and gourmet Mexican cuisine, each a counterpart to Centro de Artes and all that it showcases.
For current and upcoming events follow the Centro de Artes on Facebook, or visit the website Education and Cultural Arts Center.
