New Exhibition at San Francisco’s City Hall Showcases History of Local Activism and Cultural Events Told Through A Fifty Year Retrospective of Archival Posters Created by Mission Gráfica and La Raza Graphics

SAN FRANCISCO, August 24, 2023 — The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) Art in City Hall program, in partnership with Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA), are proud to present A Public Voice/Una Voz Pública: From the Archive of Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, an exhibition that chronicles the history of political and community activism and cultural events in San Francisco through the posters produced by Mission Gráfica and La Raza Graphics.

A Public Voice/La Voz Pública, will be on display on the Ground Floor and North Light Court at City Hall through July 12, 2024.

A public reception to celebrate the opening of the exhibition will be held in the North Light Court on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 from 5 – 7 p.m.

The exhibition will be organized by decade, showcasing archival prints from 1972 to the present, and will feature posters that captures the vital contributions to the political and community activism in San Francisco.

“For over fifty years, Mission Gráfica and La Raza Graphics created numerous posters and graphic works that focused on advocacy and fighting for the rights of their community,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “The Arts Commission is honored to partner with Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts to present these posters in City Hall, San Francisco’s seat of government, in a way that allows visitors to view and fully experience the political impacts that these posters have had over the past five decades.”

The posters featured in A Public Voice/La Voz Pública called for legal assistance for low-income residents, clean air and water, tenants' rights, and access to healthcare, many issues that find resonance today. The posters also feature community and cultural events such as dances for seniors, Día de Los Muertos, Carnaval, concerts, Pride events, and more.

"The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts archival print collection documents the importance of printmaking as an artistic tool for social change used to educate the general public in San Francisco,” said Dr. Martina Ayala, Executive Director of Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. “The preservation of this body and work is vital to our rich Chicano and Latino cultural history, serving as a powerful monument to Chicano/Latinx culture and the diverse artistic talent that was nurtured and emerged from Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts."

Exhibition Details:
A Public Voice/Una Voz Pública: From the Archive of Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
September 15, 2023 – July 12, 2024
San Francisco City Hall
Ground Floor and North Light Court
1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public

Public Opening Reception Details 
Wednesday, September 20, 5 – 7 p.m.
San Francisco City Hall, North Light Court
1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102
No reservation required. Free and open to the public

Public Programs
A series of public programing events will be held throughout the run of the exhibition. Details are being finalized, and will be posted on the SFAC Galleries webpage.

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About Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) was established in 1977 by artists and community activists with a shared vision to promote, preserve and develop the Latino cultural arts that reflect the living tradition and experiences of Chicano, Central and South American, and Caribbean people. The MCCLA makes the arts accessible as an essential element to community development and well-being. As a community non-profit arts organization, MCCLA prides itself in enriching the cultural and artistic life of the Mission, San Francisco, and Bay Area residents as well.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. Our programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org.