City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department

Mission:
The mission of the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) is to assist in developing a world-class arts community in El Paso, Texas. To accomplish this goal the MCAD has established  The Museums Division comprised of the El Paso Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of Archaeology and the El Paso Museum of History each dedicated to providing exhibitions and educational activities that recognize the region's multi-cultural heritage and contributors.  The Cultural Affairs Division implements funding programs, public art programs, cultural tourism initiatives and performing/visual arts events that provide a variety of opportunities to engage in arts and cultural activities that enliven and celebrate the City of El Paso and the region. The Museums and Cultural Affairs Department is committed to the continued development of the City's arts industry, providing quality programs that are representative of the city's diverse cultures; and to maximizing available resources in order to enhance the city's cultural vitality.

History

MCAD was formed in 2005, through the consolidation of two previous departments with overlapping cultural missions: the Museums Department and Arts Resources.  With combined histories, MCAD has 88 years of experience in providing quality cultural programming for El Pasoans and visitors.  Since launching, MCAD has:

• Completed 36 public art projects with another 22 in process.
• Overhauled its grantmaking process to maximize transparency and disburse over $2.7 million to local artists and arts organizations.
• Created a weekly Downtown Art and Farmers Market in Union Plaza.
• Produced new opportunities for largescale festivals and programming showcasing the arts like Chalk the Block and Dancing in the City while formalizing longstanding summer concert series Music Under the Stars.
• Secured State designation for the Downtown Arts District.
• Endeavored to better align cultural work with larger economic development goals.
• Sustained growth at three municipal museums that provide stewardship of over 18,000 items, traveling exhibitions and year-round programming.