Museum of Latin American Art Celebrates 26 Years

The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) celebrated 26 years of showcasing Latin American and Latinx art with a very successful gala that brought together more than 500 celebrants and supporters for a fun-filled extravaganza of fun, delicious food, great music, and art appreciation. MOLAA also honored Master Artist Fernando Botero, businessman and philanthropist George L. Plá, and Fundación Elías Pando with its LEGADO awards.

“We are very pleased with the success of this year’s Gala,” said 2022 Gala Committee Co-Chairs Mario Cordero, Executive Director, Port of Long Beach, and Gloria Codero. “Support from the community was overwhelming and impressive because MOLAA offers an insight into the world of art from a different lens and perspective. Today, the museum has evolved and is opening its galleries to showcase local Latinx artists which are reflective of the community’s needs.”

Entertainment was provided by the Grammy-winning Chicano Rock group Quetzal, which played a mix of Mexican, Afro-Cuban, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock music.

“As one of the first museums in the United States to showcase Latin American and Latinx artists, we were excited to have celebrated this special gala night with our friends and supporters,” said MOLAA’s President and CEO Dr. Lourdes Ramos-Rivas. “We are particularly grateful to the art aficionados and corporate sponsors who share our mission, vision, and values and joined us on this very special occasion to honor our very special LEGADO honorees.”

"MOLAA has had a tremendous impact on the promotion of Latin American art and the cultural enrichment of the community,” said LEGADO Philanthropic Awardee George Pla. “I am humbled to have received the LEGADO Philanthropy Award at the annual MOLAA GALA and was thrilled to have joined in celebrating MOLAA's accomplishments in advancing Latin American and Latino art in Southern California."

For 26 years, MOLAA has showcased some of the world’s brightest Latin American and Latinx artists and has brought arts education directly to the community including:

• More than 188 exhibitions of Latinx and Latin American Masters and up-and-coming artists
• An expanded mission to represent Latinx art in addition to Latin American art
• Maintain approximately 1,300 artworks in its collection
• Serving more than 65,000 people each year
• Serving more than one million visitors over the last 26 years.

Visit MOLAA to learn about its mission, vision, values and exhibits at www.molaa.org.