Park seeking poster artist for 2010 Siglo de Oro Festival

Date: March 26, 2009

Calling all artists! Chamizal National Memorial now accepting original artwork from artists interested in representing the Memorial as the poster artist for the 35^th anniversary of Siglo de Oro Drama Festival in 2010.

            For the past 34 years Chamizal National Memorial has presented the Siglo de Oro Spanish Drama Festival, bringing actors from around the world to perform works from Spain’s Golden Age. A festival highlight is the promotional poster featuring original artwork. Being featured on a Siglo de Oro poster provides an excellent opportunity for an artist to get their name and artwork out into the community as posters are displayed regionally and locally by various merchants, art venues, and other civic locations. Next year’s festival is especially significant because it is the 35^th anniversary.         

Established as a unit of the National Park Service by Congress in 1966, Chamizal National Memorial commemorates the Chamizal Convention of 1963 that peacefully resolved a nearly 100-year boundary dispute with Mexico over land on the Ciudad Juarez/El Paso border. Today Chamizal serves as a cultural center where people from both sides of the border come together to enjoy common interests such as history, and a variety of visual and performing arts. With that in mind, submitted artwork should reflect Spain’s Golden Age of Literature and Drama in a way that will help the National Park Service promote the event, and encourage the community to attend. 

            Completed works should be submitted to the Memorial no later than June 1, 2009, after which time a committee will make the selection for 2010’s poster. Artwork chosen will be prominently displayed at the Memorial and on its website during the festival. Depending on thematic relevance to the park’s mission, a selection of the chosen artist’s other works might also be displayed in one of the Memorial’s public gallery spaces. In addition to display and possible gallery space for additional works, the selected artist will receive a number of posters for personal use. Although original artwork will remain property of the artist, the National Park Service will request written permission for reproduction rights on the artwork for promotional materials (both printed and website), and poster reprints. Previous poster art can be viewed in the Theater Programs section of the park’s website at www.nps.gov/cham.

            Art may be submitted at the Memorial’s administrative building located at 800 S. San Marcial anytime between the hours of 9am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. For additional information contact Michael Groomer, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Arts at 532-7273 ext. 124.