Last fall, Laredo Community College students, faculty and friends joined the college in celebrating the inauguration of a new home for cultural study and performance—the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center.
This spring, LCC’s visual and performing arts programs are blossoming in the new, $8.4 million facility. The Center features state of the art technology for students in music, dance, art and theater classes to master their skills and showcase their talents. The project was funded with support from community, revenue bonds and student fees.
Located on the north side of the college campus adjacent to historic buildings that currently house arts instruction, the contemporary Fine Arts Center becomes strikingly visible upon entering the campus via the West End Washington overpass.
College administrators and faculty speak with a high sense of pride and enthusiasm about the positive impact the Fine Arts Center is having on student learning.
“The LCC Fine Arts Center is creating excitement among the community and students. Instructors with impressive credentials want to join our team of faculty in the Art, Music and Dance Departments,” noted Dr. Nora Garza, Dean of Arts and Sciences. “The college is also experiencing increased interest among students who want to enroll in visual and performing arts courses.”
With the new facility, Garza indicated that the College has expanded its program offerings to include more day and evening classes and a wider array of subjects related to the arts.
LCC Music and Dance Department Chairperson Danuta Gazdyszyn and Art Department Chairperson Dale Short agree with Garza’s outlook on the future of fine arts education in Laredo and the region.
“The LCC Fine Arts Center is filled with many innovative features that are available at no other educational institution south of San Antonio,” said Gazdyszyn. “This will be a tremendous advantage for LCC students to realize their potential and fulfill their dreams as they work with highly qualified instructors in a progressive learning environment.”
Dale Short describes the excitement as a new chapter in the rich history of the college’s fine arts programs.
“For many years, the college has been a foundation for students pursuing an education in the arts. The development of the Fine Arts Center allows the college to continue in a positive and upward direction concerning the future of its fine arts education programs. Students are realizing that the opportunities are endless and that is a refreshing perspective for faculty.”
Dr. Susan Shao-Shan Liu, music instructor, is a witness to the re-energized learning that is occurring in her classroom. She said, for example, that students enjoy the new computerized piano laboratory at the Center.
“Everything is more advanced technologically, to enhance our teaching, and to help our students learn faster and learn more,” says Dr. Liu. “Community members and leaders of area educational institutions who have visited the Center have complimented the college for introducing highly innovative educational tools that benefit students.”
The LCC Martinez Fine Arts Center serves as a hub for students in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, dance, music and theatre production classes, among other related subjects. The facility also features an elegant 752-seat auditorium for college student and community performance venues.
This spring at the LCC Fine Arts Center, LCC welcomed students with a free Back to School Concert featuring Grammy Award winner Little Joe & La Familia. Other cultural events include concerts presented by the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra on January 31 (7:30 p.m.) and April 4 (4 p.m.); the LCC Chamber Orchestra on April 21; the LCC Show Band on April 25; and the Spring 2004 Opera Workshop production of “Camelot.” For more concert listings, call the LCC Music and Dance Department at 721-5330.
For more information about the Fine Arts Center, contact the LCC Marketing and Public Information Office by calling 721-5140 or by e-mail at publicinfo@laredo.edu.
Office of Marketing and Public Information
West End Washington St.
Laredo, TX 78040-4395
956- 721-5140
Fax 956-721-5443