Arts, Crafts & Community Support Day at Casa de Cultura
About this Event
At Casa de Cultura, we celebrate the traditions, stories and connections that make a house feel like a home. Across cultures, food is often at the heart of those connections. As part of our commitment to community care, we invite you to join us this day in the gallery for a day full of creating, connecting and supporting our local community through a food drive benefitting the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC).
Note from Artist: "This food drive is deeply personal to me.
There was a time when my mother and I struggled to afford groceries, and CCSC was there to help us through a difficult period. They treated us with kindness, dignity, and compassion when we needed it most.
This event is my opportunity to give back to an organization that made a difference in our lives and continues to support so many families across Houston. I invite you to join me in supporting this food drive and helping CCSC continue its mission of feeding our community."
Throughout the afternoon, guests are invited to create art with our Art À La Carte self-serve stations, gather with other art lovers as well as connect with Violeta herself all while being immersed in the sights and sounds of Casa de Cultura.
What to Expect:
- Food Donation Box located on-site at check-in table.
- Explore Casa de Cultura, create art at our Art À La Carte self-serve stations, gather with other art lovers as well as connect with Violeta herself.
- Become part of the growing, Living Archive- make your mark and add your own handwritten reflection note directly to the gallery walls.
- Take a selfie in our photo booth and create a personalized piece of the experience to take home with you.
- Limited edition exhibition music prints by Violeta are available to purchase.
- Experience the community-built archive installation bringing together objects, photographs, sound, and living materials that explore memory and identity.
This event pairs the joy of making art, discovering local art with a simple act of giving:
Please join us in collecting donations of non-perishable food items to help local families stock their tables and nourish their homes. Every non-perishable food item donated at this event will go directly to CCSC to support neighbors still navigating their own hard seasons.
MOST NEEDED FOOD PANTRY ITEMS:
- Dry beans (1 or 2 pound bags)
- Hearty soups
- Dry rice (1 or 2 pound bags)
- Canned tuna or chicken
- Peanut butter
- Boxed dry cereal
- Pasta sauce
OTHER REQUESTED ITEMS:
- Baby food or formula
- Toilet paper
- Canned fruit (all types)
- Canned vegetables (all types)
- Dry pasta/mac and cheese
- Bar soap
- Diapers (sizes 5 and 6)
- Dry pasta/mac and cheese
- Bar soap
- Diapers (sizes 5 and 6)
About CCSC Founded 1980 · Houston, TX
The Christian Community Service Center was founded as a coalition of Houston churches coming together to meet the needs of the poor in Houston's inner-city community. Over four decades later, CCSC's mission remains the same: to serve those in need while respecting their religious, ethnic, and cultural differences and to treat every person who walks through their doors with dignity.
CCSC serves 34 Houston zip codes across the inner loop, near southwest, and Galleria areas, providing emergency food packages, hygiene kits, clothing, and financial assistance for rent and utilities to families in crisis. Their programs also include JobNet for job seekers, Martha's Way vocational training offered in Spanish, the Jingle Bell Express holiday program for children, and the Louise J. Moran Vision Care Program which provides free eye exams and glasses to students in underserved schools.
About Casa de Cultura
Casa de Cultura is Violeta Alvarez's Space Taking Artist Residency, a deeply personal project exploring cultural identity, heritage, and memory. Inspired by her mother's journey from Mexico to the United States, the project honors the strength, sacrifices, and ancestral roots of communities native to Mesoamerica. Through personal visual stories and community participation, the residency shapes an archive where reflection, connection, and visibility take root in response to narratives that have tried to erase and diminish presence.
Casa de Cultura is a project as part of the Space Taking Artist Residency program, powered by Fresh Arts, running July through August 2026.
Event Collaboration: Christian Community Service Center (CCSC), La Chingona Collab
Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive
by Resident Artist, Violeta Alvarez
Space Taking Artist Residency, Powered by Fresh Arts
Winter Street Studios #C105 • Sawyer Yards • Houston, TX
Agenda
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Doors Open/Check-In
Info: Check in at the front desk and if you brought any donations for CCSC, drop them off in the bin! Grab yourself a refreshment before heading into Casa de Cultura.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Browse Casa de Cultura & Connect with Community
Info: Immerse yourself in the living archive of Photographer and Artist in Residence, Violeta Alvarez and connect with other creatives and art lovers. Her exhibition on display "Con Sangre y Corazón" invites visitors to witness, celebrate and participate in an evolving archive of stories, memories and cultural pride. More than an exhibition, it is a gathering space where art, history and community come together.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
