Arts & Culture at the Institute for Latino Studies

Because of the distinctive liberal arts tradition of the University of Notre Dame, the arts have played an important role in the research and academic mission of the Institute for Latino Studies since its founding in 1999.

The arts, both literary and visual, open an ideal space to analyze, study, and understand the rapid cultural transformations that characterize contemporary society. Creative expression and artistic production provide a vital means to comprehend and grasp processes by which a community comes to terms with its own understanding of what it means to be American. Thus, the arts are important for the Latinos to understand themselves as Americans and for others to see the richness of the American experience.

Ultimately, our interest in the arts centers on how they assist with the process of becoming and the beginning of belonging. For newcomers the sense of belonging is the first step in the process of civic engagement to explore what it means to be part of a new host society and culture. Because arts organizations provide transitional spaces of expression that foster a sense of belonging, the arts provide insights into the social conversations and negotiations necessary for processes of integration, incorporation, and participation.

The arts thus deepen our experiences as a society by challenging us in our thinking and connecting us to others by generating new forms of cultural understanding. As such, the arts provide a powerful tool for the appreciation of American culture and its many expressions by telling the stories and sharing the collective experiences of individuals and communities, helping us to understand in fresh ways the diversity and richness of the collective social fabric of our communities and our nation.