PRESS RELEASES

LATINO CULTURAL CENTER COMPLETES RENOVATION PROJECT
Talento Bilingüe de Houston adds rehearsal space, remodels lobby

03.06.2009 --  Talento Bilingüe de Houston, the Bayou City’s largest Latino cultural arts center, is bigger and better as the result of recent renovations completed in conjunction with the City of Houston.

TBH officially unveils its refurbished facilities today at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

An 11-month project, completed at a cost of $1,247,300, resulted in the construction of a new dance studio, a remodeling of an existing rehearsal hall, renovation of the lobby, installation of permanent theater seats, and the repaving and restriping of the parking lot.

“Houston’s Latino arts community is the big winner in this project,” said TBH president and CEO Juan Esquivel. “Artists will have better places to practice their craft, while audiences will enjoy more comfortable seating, an elegant new lobby and much-improved parking facilities.

“This is a great day for those who care about the future of Talento Bilingüe,” Esquivel said.

Project renovations were funded by the city’s Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department, which owns the TBH property and leases it to the non-profit organization, and the Housing and Community Development Department, which provided a Community Development Block Grant to assist in project funding. TBH also contributed private fundraising revenues to help defray project costs.

“Talento Bilingüe greatly appreciates its association with the City of Houston through the CEF Department and the Housing Department,” said TBH board chair Emily Cole. “Collaboratively, we are able to do great things for Houston artists and the greater Latino community.”

Today’s festivities will include a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and facility tours. Entertainment will be provided by Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico.