The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County will present its fifth annual “Con A de Arte”, Thursday, June 4 at 6 p.m. at Main Library located on 310 North Tryon Street.

This year’s theme, “Tell Me Your Story” recognizes the achievement of six Latino artists who each received a cultural grant from the Arts and Science Council for the 2008-2009 year. In a type of artistic marketplace style format or “El Mercado de las Artes" there will be an array of artistic mediums from storytelling, dance and poetry to film making, photography and live music. Artists will present their workshops in a staggered schedule throughout the evening. Light refreshments will also be available. Discover and explore the Hispanic arts and meet some of the most renowned Latino artists in the Carolinas.

Dance and Storytelling-Alejandro Galvez Cruz
Pre-Hispanic Dance and storytelling.
Learn about the Aztecas tradition, storytelling, dances and the history behind the rituals.

Poetry and Boleros-Ana Divins
Explore the art of Boleros, romantic songs form Latin America. From Los Panchos to Luis Miguel, this session will combine poetry and music.

Dance-Gladys Gomez with the Carolina Latin Dance Company
Experience Latin America’s finest dances featuring Cumbia to Tango. Free salsa lesson!

Filmmaking and Oral History-Gina Esquivel
Document your family history through filmmaking.

Visual Arts-Edwin Gil
The versatile and creative visual artist Edwin, will display his collection Los Imbéciles and will share his art statement in an informal conversation.

Digital Weaving Contemporary Tapestry-Annabel Manning
Create a contemporary tapestry based upon cultural celebrations and traditions throughout Latin America.

Photography-Valerie Hastie
Discover the wonders of Colombia Carnival through the lens of Valerie Hastie.

All of these free events will either be presented in English and Spanish or the library will provide translation to accommodate the needs of the audience. For more information call Irania Patterson at (704) 416-0557 or e-mail her at Ipatterson@plcmc.org.

Since its founding in 1903 as a Carnegie Free Library, PLCMC has provided community service and outreach to the citizens of the Charlotte area. One of the premier libraries in the country, PLCMC has been recognized as a “Five Star” library in a national index of public library service from Library Journal and was named winner of the 2006 National Award for Library Service. The library sponsors a variety of community-based programs, from computer and Internet workshops to the award-winning Novello Festival of Reading, a celebration of the joys of reading and learning. With 24 locations, 1.4 million volumes, 79,000 DVDs, CDs and audiobooks, and a vast selection of titles available to download from the library’s web site, PLCMC is dedicated to its mission of expanding minds, empowering individuals and enriching the community.