Scholarship Application: Spring 2026

Application available online HERE
Submission Deadline: Monday, November 10 at 5 p.m.
Two (2) scholarships are typically awarded
Award will cover $2,600 towards intensive tuition for the Spring 2026 (15–week) session in either AEP or ELP.

Continuing Student Applications

For Spring 2026
Application available online HERE
We would love to see you again!

Día de los Muertos

What is Día de los Muertos?

According to Austin’s Mexic-Arte Museum, “Celebrated by Mexicans and Mexican Americans alike, as well as others in Latin America, Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead is an important religious and cultural event that synthesizes pre-Columbian traditions and Catholic Church practices. Originating in ancient Mexico, the annual celebration is increasingly observed in the United States as part of contemporary Latinx popular culture. Day of the Dead blends indigenous religious and cultural rituals with customs surrounding the Catholic holy days:

November 1: All Saints’ Day (prayers said to saints and martyrs)
November 1: Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels, dedicated to souls of deceased children)
November 2: All Souls’ Day (prayers and offerings made to deceased relatives and friends, especially for souls in Purgatory)

During this yearly event, cemeteries are cleaned. Home and public altars or ofrendas (offerings) are built to honor the dead, who they attract with food, drink, candles, incense, marigold flowers, and objects once favored in their lives.”

Who is la Catrina? Why do people paint their face like skeletons?

The original image was created by artist Jose Guadalupe Posada in Mexico City in right before the Mexican Revolution. The Catrina is a well-dressed skeleton that pokes fun at the brevity of life, the futility of materialism, and is a commentary on both death impersonated and a historical embrace of the life/ death cycle that started in ancient Mexico.

Photo courtesy of Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB MACC)

Austin’s MACC: Day of the Dead Festival

Saturday, November 1
2:00 – 6:00 pm
Oswaldo A. B. Cantu Pan American Recreation Center, 2100 E 3rd St.
This event is FREE and open to all ages, no RSVP or ticket required
Guests may bring chairs, water, and snacks. There will be multiple food trucks and vendors on site as well.
Day of the Dead will welcome the memories of our loved ones with Day of the Dead altars, art installations, & activities that foster an appreciation for the sweetness and fragility of life. The collective outdoor ofrenda (altar) will be a gathering of memories that anyone can contribute to. You may bring notes or write one on-site to add to the altar.

Highlights of the event include:

Outdoor stage with live music. Expect to see a great lineup of Latin music from local Austin artists!
Gary Hobbs (1:45pm), Marca Especial (3pm), The Tiarras (3:45pm), Nova Band (5:00pm), Danza Azteca Guadalupana (5:45pm)
Free face painting and sugar skull decorating workshops (while supplies last) conducted by the ESB MACC Education Department
MexAmeriCon will feature artist panels, games, and more that showcase the storytelling traditions of the Latino/a/e community through comics, art, and pop culture.
Artisan Vendor Market supporting local Latino/a/e entrepreneurs.
Piñata inspired large scale sculptural art installations by Las Piñatas/Latinos in Architecture (LiA) on view.
A Community Altar (Ofrenda) that will grow larger as event attendees contribute names and notes.
Community Resource Fair featuring local nonprofits.
Food trucks and vendors featuring local cuisine with plenty of options from tacos to desserts.