McAllen Chamber of Commerce Arts Program 2008

McAllen Arts Council
Formed 2 years ago, the council has become the organization that acts as a clearing house for McAllen talent. The council meets monthly and has created a quarterly arts magazine and website to promote events and individual artists.

Grants program
Overseen by the McAllen Arts Council, the McAllen Chamber of Commerce has distributed $60,000 to 20 arts organizations and individuals over the past four years. Grants vetting procedures are based on Texas Commission on the Arts policies.

Public Arts Policy
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce volunteers and staff have created a Public Arts policy that is now being considered for adoption by the City Commission. The policy will set parameters for the city's public art.

McAllen Chamber Creative Incubator
The Creative Incubator, opened in 2006, houses artist studios, an exhibition area, classrooms, and stage. The studios are rented at reasonable rates to emerging artists of all disciplines. These artists hold many events and classes, and are required to create a business plan.

MCN 12 television show support
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is working with MCN12, McAllen's cable channel, to create a standing arts series highlighting city people, programs and events for the community. The episodes run frequently throughout the programming

Music After Hours
Music After Hours is a bi-monthly outdoor music concert series featuring local artists. The first Friday of each month October through May, the concerts are held in Archer Park to complement ArtWalk; the third Fridays the concerts are held under the grandstand at the new Convention Center. Concerts are free and open to the public.

Broadway in McAllen
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce has been sponsoring this Broadway musical series each year for the past five years. Many of Broadway's biggest hottest have come to McAllen through the Chicago-based company. Performances are held at the McAllen Convention Center.

McAllen Art, Film & Fashion Festival
Begun in 2007 as part of PalmFest, the McAllen Art, Film and Fashion Festival features well over 100 artists from the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico. The film festival features films by area producers, and awards trophies to the best of the films exhibited. The fashion festival features local designers, and also awards trophies to the best designs created.

RGV Film Commission
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce created and organizes the commission for the entire Rio Grande Valley. Its purpose is to attract films, television productions, commercials and other film projects to the area.

Another Music Festival
New in 2008, the McAllen's Another Music Festival highlights local and out of area musicians of all kinds for a weekend of live music and related activities.

South of the City Limits
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce sponsors this entertainment series which features the best of Austin live music. The series is held at Cine El Rey, McAllen's historic downtown movie theatre.

Cultural Arts & Entertainment Series
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce offers a series of one hour classes on many cultural arts and entertainment topics and lessons. The series is free and open to the public and is held twice monthly September through May at the McAllen Chamber's Creative Incubator.

Communication and Websites
The McAllen Chamber offers two websites dealing with the arts, and a bi-monthly arts enewsletter. The sites are www.mcallenart.com, which features Incubator tenants and other local information, and www.todaymcallen.com, which lists events open to the public.
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce has also published a city-wide arts guide with listings of venues for visual and performance arts.

Other McAllen arts and entertainment events-
ArtWalk
Symphony performances
PalmFest
Nutcracker performances
Area restaurants with liver musical performances
Concerts at Dodge Arena and Civic Center Auditorium
Concerts at El Rey Theatre