El Rio Neighborhood Center Murals

In a town that has been called a "mini-Meca" for the arts, the murals in El Rio are in rich company. The murals were created by artist Antonio Pazos, David Tineo, and other artists in the city. The murals are featured on the exterior walls of buildings throughout the city and tell the store of the Chicano movement in the 1970's. The murals show the impact on Tucson's history and social conscience. It was in 1970that Mexican-American families asked that land be set aside for a community center for their families. There were numerou demonstrations and national attention was aid to the requres, eventually resulting in the building of the center. The murals were part of the original building. In 1997 additional funds were put toward expanding the mural program, and there are now murals featured in the main lobby of the building, in addition to the exteriors in the town. Tucson is a popular art town and features a number of opportunities for artists and art lovers. The performing arts community features dance, music, and ballet experiences. There are a number of museums, many of which are nationally acclaimed, and more than 215 art groups and 35 art galleries dot the town.