ABYA YALA

ABYAYALA Arte y Cultura is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural organization that preserves and promotes Latin American cultural expressions, focusing on the Andean cultures as the backbone of indigenous millenary traditions.

Our main objective is to promote, preserve, develop and connect with the Andean culture through programs that include informational, visual and/or theatrical representations as a means of fostering learning and the dissemination of cultural awareness. ABYA YALA Arte y Cultura has a long-term commitment to stimulate dialogue and open communication channels and awareness across cultures and to engage in community building with the Latino and North American communities.

ABYA YALA- Arte y Cultura supports artistic development and provides exposure to emerging and established local artists, musicians, writers and other performing artists so it could be offered to residents of New York’s metropolitan area extending into New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, the ample spectrum that is part of our cultural roots.

To that extent, we facilitate projects and programs in art, dance, music, teaching and dialogue, designed to foster the appreciation and growth of Peruvian and Andean arts and culture. These programs aims are to promote all of these art forms and the local artists who are of Andean descent to new audiences at schools and cultural centers; to reconnect and connect 1st and 2nd generation Peruvians and other Andean groups to their cultural roots while sparking pride and interest in one’s cultural heritage; and to help break down barriers, making real connections amongst the larger Latino communities and their North American counterparts.

Each year ABYAYALA presents and produces a season of events, exhibitions, workshops and festivals designed to highlight the many talents of our artists. Since 2001, ABYAYALA Arte y Cultura has successfully produced many artists in a variety of disciplines to advance their individual art projects. We have also collaborated with other organizations, such as Center for Traditional Music and Dance and FestiAndes to further and promote the Andean perspective in the arts to a wider audience.

Most of ABYAYALA’s funding support is and has been derived from the performance of its activities as well as contributions from its members, whether in money or in time and effort.

One of our future aims is to create a quarterly arts publication as a publishing venue for writers, journalists and poets that will serve as a means to establish discussions, open lines of communication with the community at large, and serve as a forum for diverse ideas and foment open dialogue and awareness so that the Andean, Latino and North American communities can visually -featuring local artistry- and creatively articulate visions of peace and understanding across cultures.