http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt3j49q99g Online items available Guide to the Centro Cultural de la Raza Archives CEMA 12 Finding aid prepared by Project director Sal Güereña, principle processor Michelle Wilder, assistant processors Susana Castillo and Alexander Hauschild June, 2006. Collection was processed with support from the University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States (UC MEXUS). Updated 2011 by Callie Bowdish and Clarence M. Chan University of California, Santa Barbara, Davidson Library, Department of Special Collections, California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9010 (805) 893-8563 [email protected] © 2006 Guide to the Centro Cultural de la CEMA 12 1 Raza Archives CEMA 12 Title: Centro Cultural de la Raza Archives Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 12 Contributing Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara, Davidson Library, Department of Special Collections, California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 83.0 linear feet(153 document boxes, 5 oversize boxes, 13 slide albums, 229 posters, and 975 online items)Online items available Date (inclusive): 1970-1999 Abstract: Slides and other materials relating to the San Diego artists' collective, co-founded in 1970 by Chicano poet Alurista and artist Victor Ochoa. Known as a center of indigenismo (indigenism) during the Aztlán phase of Chicano art in the early 1970s. (CEMA 12). Physical location: All processed material is located in Del Norte and any uncataloged material (silk screens) is stored in map drawers in CEMA. General Physical Description note: (153 document boxes and 5 oversize boxes).Online items available creator: Centro Cultural de la Raza http://content.cdlib.org/search?style=oac-img&sort=title&relation=ark:/13030/kt3j49q99g Access Restrictions None. Publication Rights Copyright resides with donor. Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All Requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained Preferred Citation Centro Cultural de la Raza Archives, CEMA 12., Department of Special Collections, University Libraries, University of California, Santa Barbara. Acquisition Information Donated by CCLR board of directors, 2000. Organization History El Centro Cultural de la Raza is a Chicano Cultural Center founded in 1970 in San Diego, as an alternative program to encourage and facilitate artistic growth and cultural interchange in the San Diego communities. It is currently a member of the American Association of Museums. Centro Cultural has given birth to many artistic groups, such as MALAF, the Mexican American Liberation Art Front, and Teatro Mestizo. It also provides art classes and drama, music, dance and arts and crafts Presentations, many of which have origins in Mexico and "Aztlán," a term used by Chicanos to indicate the American Southwest. Tours and presentations have been designed to give background on various cultural activities. The Centro's circular building has offices and workrooms, studios, a theater, and much wall space for mural projects. It is one of the largest Chicano cultural arts buildings in the Southwest. The cultural center supports and encourages the creative expression "of those people who are indigenous to the border region." Although established in 1970, its origins stem to the mid to late 1960's, when local Chicano artists were becoming aware that they needed a place where they could develop and preserve the contributions and ideologies of San Diego's native population. Those active in forming the center and the organization of Los Toltecas en Aztlán, the organizing body of the center, were Salvador Torres, Guillermo Aranda, Ruben de Anda, Mario Acevedo, Victor Ochoa, David Avalos, the Enrique Family, the Delia Moreno Family, and others. Though much of the formative years of the center's philosophy and ideology began in the mid 60's, the center's official inauguration was in July 1970 when the city of San Diego allowed Torres and company to locate the cultural center in Balboa Park. Through much political and social opposition in the 1970's due to subject matter of murals and debate on the question of where they would be based, the cultural center endured and became very strong with the backing of its community members. As a cultural center, it not only promoted creative expression in art and formal art classes, but also included in its busy seven day-a-week schedule workshops in danza folklorica, interpretive dance, music, theatre, sculpture, and a multidisciplinary 'Tolteca' class. These classes were the basis of all activities that took place, as education of and for the border culture was important to the Toltecas en Aztlán. Closely related are the multi-media events that took place. These Guide to the Centro Cultural de la CEMA 12 2 Raza Archives CEMA 12 events incorporated music, dance and poetry to generate traditional and indigenous Mexican theatrical motifs. Groups that formed through the work of the Center include: Ballet Folklorico in Aztlán, founded by Herminia Enrique;Congreso de Artistas Chicanos en Aztlán, founded by Salvador Torres;and Trio Moreno, a musical group Scope and Content of Collection The Centro Cultural de la Raza archives represents activities at and involving CCLR and its members between 1971 and 1999. The collection consists of 8 series contained in 156 archival boxes occupying approximately 67 linear feet of space. There are also 738 slides for which a separate guide is available through CEMA. In addition there are 226 silk screen prints and 66 offset printed posters housed in 3 map drawers in CEMA and approximately 250 offset prints are housed in boxes at the annex. A separate guide is not yet available for this collection. The archival material includes but is not limited to administrative/personnel records, grant/funding requests and applications and event/program/project documentation, as well as collected research on various artists, political figures (politicos) and a wide variety of topical themes from agriculture to racism. The series are arranged with an emphasis on CCLR's own system of record-keeping as of December 1, 1982 when a central files outline was created reflecting the order of and patterns used in cycle's filing system (a copy of this general outline is available in Series I Sub Series IV ). Subsequently folders generally follow either an alphabetical or a chronological order according to original titles or dates. When necessary, titles were assigned to folders that lost their labels or to items that were loose or without a proper folder. The archives include organizational records, films, videos, slides, photographs, posters, exhibition catalogs, and the manuscripts for published and unpublished works. Included is an extensive collection of clipping files and correspondence files on Chicano issues in the San Diego area. Series descriptions Series I: Administrative Records. Series I is housed in 54 archival boxes and is composed of four sub series;each sub series is chronologically ordered, beginning with the earliest date and ending with not dated (n.d.) material. Sub series I , Board of Directors , contains mostly board of directors meetings and includes By-Laws and articles of incorporation pertaining to both the founding of Toltecas en Aztlán and Centro Cultural de la Raza. Sub series II , Committees , contains by-laws, meetings and notes from various committees, beginning with numerous files pertaining to Mesa Directiva. Sub series III , Funding , consists of audits, accountant reports, budgets, and grant applications and proposals. Major funding sources are Combined Arts and Education Council (COMBO), the City of San Diego Financial Department, Regional Employment and Training Consortium, California Arts Council, Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Support Program, and National Endowment for the Arts. Sub series IV , General Administrative Files , contains a wide variety of material including activities reports, correspondence, lease agreements, membership development, staff meetings, and policies and procedures manuals. Series II: Internal Events, Programs and Projects. Series II is housed in 28 archival boxes and is a copious source of information on a wide variety of activities taking place at CCLR. Activities documented consist of workshops, exhibitions, mural dedications and projects, performances and various arts and cultural events. Workshops documented here include but are not limited to Ballet Folklorico en Aztlán, Tolteca Productions, Teatro Mestizo, Toltecas Concheros, Razita and the Border Arts Workshop or Taller de Arte Fronterizo (BAW/TAF). Events documented here include the 10th, 15th and 20th Anniversary celebrations of the CCLR along with the Norteñ o Music Festival, Chicano Park Day. Included in this series are numerous files pertaining to CCLR's 15th Anniversary Celebration and published book, Made In Aztlán . This entire series is ordered chronologically and then alphabetically within each year. Any information pertaining to Tolteca Publications is housed in the fifth series, Publications , in the sub series, Internal Publications . Series III: Organizations, Institutions and Corporations.