Our History

In 1998, the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) was founded in the basement of my home located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, with the help of other Puerto Rican leaders who did not see their heritage, culture, and experiences represented by existing arts institutions. These founding board members included educators, musicians, visual artists and other community leaders. They all had something in common – they were of Puerto Rican decent and wanted to elevate their culture in Chicago, IL and the United States.

Over the years, PRAA has worked to forge a creative pathways that bring new awareness, understanding, and appreciation to the artistic expressions of Puerto Rico. This has leveraged PRAA as a leading national arts institution exhibiting artistic excellence. From the development of the nation’s first pre-conservatory Latin music and a cutting edge studio arts programs, PRAA has challenged the status quo and continues to breakdown barriers for artists of color.

As community arts institution we are raising awareness of the lack of equity and inclusion in the arts while also serving as advocates for future generations to have a fair chance at accessing affordable music and arts programs. Paramount to our creative artistic journey is presenting educational programs, events, performances, and exhibitions that galvanize a community beyond its traditional borders.

Our quest continues to connect to the Puerto Rican diaspora while also leveraging ALAANA artists and musicians through collaborations with organizations representing other ethnic backgrounds. Audiences near and far provide a global platform to showcase and strengthen our mission. Please make an investment in PRAA and help us make artistic dreams come true for our children and youth while we also uniting people through arts and culture!

Carlos Hernandez-Falcon
Founder & Executive Director

1997

The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) was established in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community, in the home of Founder and Executive Director, Carlos Hernandez. PRAA was founded to create a broader platform for a new generation of Puerto Ricans who wanted to share their artistic experiences and expressions. More specifically, these founding board members, laid the early groundwork for PRAA to pursue arts excellence as way to heighten appreciation for cultural identity and affirmation. Original board members included professional individuals of Puerto Rican heritage. Their extraordinary combined talents in the areas of music, visual arts, education, and nonprofit organizational development brought together a new generation of dedicated individuals to present high quality artistic programs, performances, and exhibitions for the community.

1998

PRAA launches the first Annual Cuatro Festival at Roberto Clemente Community Academy. The festival was conducted with the Chicago Cuatro Orchestra and other invited local musicians committed to promoting and preserving the “Cuatro” instrument. Featured musicians were from Puerto Rico and included Yomo Toro, Prodigio Claudio, Alvin Medina and the CCO Ensemble. This amazingly successful event sold out and became the catalyst for PRAA’s future music program expansion.

1999

2001

PRAA moves the Cuatro Festival to the Field Museum’s James Simpson Auditorium, positioning the organization to partner with one of Chicago’s premier cultural institutions and amplifying visibility citywide. This new venue became the home for building this cultural concert for the next three years.

2002

PRAA presents its first exhibition entitled Seis Mujeres at the Humboldt Park Horse Stable building featuring six local Puerto Rican women artists. The exhibition drew community wide support and positioned PRAA to further develop the professional artist exhibition program.

2005

PRAA implements its first strategic plan that provided a renewed vision for the organization. This vision magnified PRAA’s interest in strengthening arts education initiatives, particularly the Cuatro and Spanish guitar program for children and youth. This same year, the organization was granted additional space at the Humboldt Park Field House giving PRAA the capacity to launch its current Studio Arts and Exhibition Program. PRAA also hosted the Cuatro Festival for the next two years at the Chicago Theater, an iconic downtown venue.

2008

PRAA begins exploring the capability of developing a future cultural building that would accommodate growing operations. The organization embarks on a second strategic plan with an invested Board of Directors. The strategic plan reveals the need for PRAA to expand its space. After securing a donated abandoned Fire Station building from the City of Chicago in the Avondale neighborhood, PRAA undertakes a $2.5M capital campaign. For the next five years, the Board of Directors lead and champion financial support from foundations, corporations, and individuals who begin to donate the necessary resources for an organizational expansion.

2009

PRAA moves the Cuatro Festival to Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance marking this a venue for future audience growth and solidifying a performance partnership that will last for years to come. Meanwhile PRAA continues to position the organization to serve and impact more youth in the community through its educational programs.

2010-2013

PRAA continues efforts to meet capital campaign fundraising goals. State Senator Iris Martinez advocates for major capital support from the State of Illinois to invest in a community cultural center. Polk Bros. Foundation, ComEd, Kresge Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, and The Field Foundation are also invested, thus leading to the opening of PRAA Center.

2014

In partnership with Telemundo Chicago, PRAA wins a first-time Emmy Award for producing the now called National Cuatro Festival (NCF). The event features the Puerto Rican Philharmonic Orchestra, with over 60 musicians on stage and becomes one of the largest musical performance ever produced by PRAA. The new state-of-the-art, LEED certified, 4,500 square ft. cultural center officially opens in the Avondale community.

The new PRAA Center opens with a Smithsonian traveling exhibition entitled “Beyond Baseball, the Life of Roberto Clemente.” PRAA begins to build new audiences with three “customs” exhibitions from Puerto Rico highlighting traditional attires used in Puerto Rican cultural parades. The exhibitions included Ponce in Chicago, Loiza in Chicago and Hatillo in Chicago. The Loiza in Chicago exhibition travelled throughout Chicago’s African American communities, and highlighted the contributions of the African culture in Puerto Rico through music.

2015

In partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, PRAA hosts American Sabor, an exhibition honoring the contributions of Latin music in America. PRAA forms a partnership with US Bank to repurpose 2,000 square feet of unused office space for the creation of a formalized music school now called the Latin Music Project. This same year, PRAA’s Executive Director receives the Chicago Community Trust’s Fellowship Award and begins to build new cultural relationships with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

2016

PRAA enters into a partnership agreement with the Conservatorio de Puerto Rico aimed at creating a foundation for curriculum development, instructional backing, staff guidance, master classes, performance opportunities, internships, and student exchanges for the Latin Music Project. PRAA establishes El Archivo, Chicago & the Midwest’s Puerto Rican Archive Project, and begins collecting photos and other media in an effort to preserve heritage and culture digitally.

2017

PRAA partners with Navy Pier to create Noche Caribeña a cultural concert event that is free and open to the public. PRAA also partners with the National Museum of Mexican Art to launch the Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund, raising nearly $250K for relief efforts due to devastation from Mexico City’s earthquake and Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico.

2018

PRAA celebrates 20th Anniversary with musical performances, educational programs, and exhibitions. Lyric Opera partners with PRAA to develop first ever operatic chamber music event entitled Caribe Clásico. This sold out performance is directed by renowned Puerto Rico Symphony Emeritus Conductor, Roselin Pabón. El Archivo opens “Faces of Puerto Rican Migration.” Hector Rafael from Caguas, Puerto Rico is invited to exhibit Transmutación, a modern abstract transgender exhibition.

PRAA again features the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra along with the legendary singers; Fania All Star Ismael Miranda, Yolandita Monge, and Cuatrista Luis Sanz. PRAA builds on the vision for the Latin Music Project to become a pre-conservatory school for intense music learning and training. Aspiring youth of color now have the opportunity to become the next generation of professional orchestra musicians.

PRAA holds the first Felisa Rincón de Gautier Woman Award event, honoring four Puerto Rican women, recognizing their distinguished community service and their contributions as role models for our youth. PRAA also launches the National Coquito Festival, a cultural fundraising celebration, highlighting Puerto Rico’s holiday coconut beverage.

2019

The Latin Music Project begins hosting up-and-coming musicians at the newly renovated Latin Music Project Center performance space. PRAA announces the residency program with the Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. “Puerto Rico Vive” engages a delegation in an island cultural experience. PRAA hires first full time Music Program Director enhancing efforts to develop the pre-conservatory music school. The Studio Arts & Exhibition program opens “La Primera Parada” a historical timeline of the LGBTQ’s community participation in parades. The National Cuatro Festival brings together more than 125 youth musicians from Puerto Rico’s LaRondalla and they are united with youth from the Midwest Youth Conservatory. This concert is led by Emeritus Conductor, Roselin Pabón. The Woman’s Award event honors three amazing women and the Coquito Festival sees a significant increase in attendance.

2020

“Puerto Rico Vive” continues with two community concerts in Puerto Rico held in partnership with the Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The exhibit “Colonial Portraits, Inc.” is installed at the Museo Los Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This is the first time PRAA has hosted an exhibition that traveled from Chicago to Puerto Rico.