PANEL TALK + EXHIBIT: IN THE PIT: Real Talk From Latina Music Photographers

Ever wonder what it really takes to photograph live music? Come hear it straight from the photographers who have been in the pit.
About this Event

Join us at Casa de Cultura for In the Pit: Real Talk from Latina Music Photographers, a panel conversation bringing together Latina music photographers for an honest dialogue about life behind the lens.

The Panel Talk:

Moderated by Gladys Fuentes, music writer for the Houston Press, this conversation brings together photographers Leydi Gonzalez, Keylee Baque, Karo Cantú, and Violeta Alvarez to explore what it means to be a Latina woman working in music photography today. Through personal experiences and open dialogue, panelists will discuss how they got their start, navigating a male-dominated industry, the creative labor behind the lens, and what it means to represent their communities through the images they capture.

Featured Guest Photographers Exhibition Display

Casa de Cultura is honored to welcome three Houston photographers whose work captures the energy, intimacy, and culture of live music. Joining resident artist Violeta Alvarez's solo exhibition Luz y Sombra, Latina music photographers Leydi Gonzalez, Keylee Baque, and Karo Cantú will each present their work.

Leydi Gonzalez started picking up a camera at 15 and never stopped. Now she's hosting the web series Leydi Listens, co-founding The Music Journal, and proving that music photography can be a way of giving back to your community. Karo Cantú has been a fixture in the Houston live music scene for over 12 years, capturing both the contagious energy of live music and the quiet intimacy of the artists on stage, and bringing that same dedication to her role as Marketing and Communications Manager at Art League Houston. Keylee Baque merged two loves, concerts and photography into a career, co-founded Off Record Media, and now works as Marketing Manager at White Oak Music Hall, making sure the next generation of photographers has a seat at the table.

Together, their work honors the women behind the lens and ensures their communities are celebrated.

Featured guest photographers' work will be on view, July 16–19, 2026.

The Experience:

• Immerse yourself in the exhibition, connect with photographers & creatives, and engage in conversations around music, photography, identity, and representation.
• Browse and take home a piece of history, limited-edition prints from Luz y Sombra by Violeta Alvarez alongside original works from Leydi Gonzalez, Keylee Baque, and Karo Cantu, with select pieces available for purchase.
• Become part of the story and add your handwritten reflection directly on the gallery walls, adding your voice to the growing collective Living Archive.
• Experience the community-built archive installation bringing together objects, photographs, sound, and living materials that explore memory and identity rooted in native Mesoamerican heritage.
• Snap a selfie at our photo booth and leave with memories that will last a lifetime.

Luz y Sombra on view through August 1, 2026.

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

Community Donation Bin

Visitors are invited to support our community by donating food and essential household items.

Most-needed items include:• Dry beans and rice• Canned tuna or chicken• Peanut butter• Soups and cereal• Pasta and pasta sauce• Baby food and formula• Toilet paper

Every donation helps provide essential resources to individuals and families in need. Thank you for your generosity and support.

This is an intimate experience with limited space. Reserve your spot today!

Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive

Resident Artist: Violeta Alvarez

Space Taking Artist Residency, Powered by Fresh Arts

Winter Street Studios #C105 • Sawyer Yards • Houston, TX

Agenda

🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:30 AM
Doors Open/Check-In

Info: Show the staff at the check in table your reservation, check in and grab a refreshment. Browse your way through la Casa De Cultura and connect with other guests as we wait for the event to kick off!

🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:45 PM
Latinx Women Music Photographers Exhibition

Info: A curated exhibition featuring Latina music photographers will be presented alongside Violeta Alvarez’s solo exhibition Luz y Sombra. On view July 16–19, 2026. Free and open to the public.

🕑: 07:45 PM - 08:00 PM
Welcome/Words from the Resident Artist
🕑: 08:00 PM - 08:45 PM
‘In the Pit: Real Talk from Latinx Women Music Photographers

Info: From unpredictable live shows to navigating the music industry as women and Latinx creatives, these photographers will share how they got started, how they build trust with artists and editors and how they found their own voice behind the camera.  They will speak candidly about the realities behind the work: the hustle required to sustain a creative career, the deep love of music that keeps them coming back and the inequities they navigate. 

🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:45 PM
Browse la Casa de Cultura

Info: Immerse yourself in the living archive of Photographer and Artist in Residence, Violeta Alvarez.