DeKalb arts director says exhibit aims to connect Spanish-speaking residents and consulate

Raines, DeKalb County's director for arts and cultural affairs, described the Porter Sanford exhibit as an outreach tool to connect county residents — particularly Spanish speakers — with Latin American art and the Mexican consulate. "As the director for arts and cultural affairs for DeKalb County, I felt like this was a really wonderful opportunity to not only connect with the Mexican consulate and with our Hispanic and Latino communities, but to really also bring all of the people who live in DeKalb County to really appreciate sort of the symbolism and the art and the imagery, the folklore that we associate with not just Mexico, but all of Latin America and Hispanic countries," Raines said.

Raines said the county has a "huge Spanish speaking community" and framed the exhibition as a chance to bring new audiences into county facilities and arts programming. The director emphasized both cultural appreciation and access, saying the event could help people who have never seen an art exhibition to "think more deeply about the cultural heritage, the art, and the sense of beauty that, we see in Hispanic artwork."