On Saturday, April 16, 2022, dozens of local artists, creators, and musicians took over Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park for MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange Presented by PNC Bank in partnership with Waterloo Greenway, Golden Hornet, Fusebox Festival, and Frida Friday ATX.
The day kicked off with Frida Friday ATX’s signature Mercado y Más featuring over 35 local, BIPOC, Latinx, and Queer creatives & artisans. Austinites shopped and experienced live painting and art galleries by Nikki Diaz, Carmen Rangel, Monica Ceniceros, Mel Navarro, Laura Clay, Valerie Mercedes Schmidt, and many more.
Music from DJ Mexican Blackbird, Diggy Dutch, and Miss Leslie Nava filled the air, and Hope 4 Hip Hop hosted a fun Youth DJ Workshop. Throughout the day, families and children participated in a variety of hands-on activities with Con Mi Madre, Latinitas, Avance, and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center on the Meredith Heritage Tree Deck.
The night ended with a showstopping performance by Cecilia and the Broken Hearts and the world premiere of MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange, a mixed chamber ensemble that performed 14 unique pieces of music created through a collaborative exchange of forty DJ-producers and composers from both sides of the Rio Grande. MXTX is co-curated by Orión García, Coka Treviño, Felipe Pérez Santiago, and Graham Reynolds and seeks to balance representation across many categories of identity, including geography, gender identity, and genre.
“PNC is honored to be the presenting sponsor of MXTX,” said Dillan Knudson, PNC regional president for Austin. “This event aligns with our Main Street Banking approach focused on our region’s prosperity, our belief that music is a cornerstone of our community’s culture and economic success, and our active involvement in diversity and inclusion. This celebration is a wonderful blend of Texas cultures.”
Slideshow photos by Suzanne Cordeiro.
