VIVA, Lesbian and Gay Latino Artists, was a non-profit arts agency founded in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the creative and artistic talent of Lesbians, Gays, Latina and Latino artists and their culture. Based in Los Angeles, VIVA was formally designed to create a coalition who would advocate against the lack of representation in Los Angeles of artists from these communities. This collection primarily consists of papers related to the administration, events, exhibitions, performances, projects, outreach, art and publications of VIVA. The collection includes photographs, negatives, transparencies, artwork, papers, t-shirts, catalogs and printed materials.



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VIVA was a non-profit arts agency founded in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the creative and artistic talent of lesbians, gays, Latina and Latino artists and their culture. VIVA was formally designed to create a coalition who would advocate against the lack of representation in Los Angeles of artists from these communities. Based in Los Angeles, the organization was formed by a group of lesbian Latinas and gay Latino artists in the Silver Lake community of Los Angeles including Roland Palencia, Mike Moreno, Luis Alfaro, Marcus Kuiland-Nazario and Aleida Rodriguez. The organization also worked with other organizations and presses such as the Gay and Lesbian Services Center, La Opinion, Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos (GLLU), Lesbianas Unidas, Bienestar, and Tongues to help bring visibility to VIVA. It in turn provided visibility to artists through discussions, production and presentation of art, and the development of artists through educational, scholarship and presentational opportunities. VIVA also used art to address issues of cultural and sociopolitical concern through exhibitions, performances and collaborative projects with programs such as the Minority AIDS Project. Created in 1992, Chicks and Salsa became the organization's most successful annual event. This multi-media performance promoted Latina Lesbian artists and was developed in collaboration with the organization ASTRAEA, National Lesbian Action. In 1993, VIVA was the winner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's GLAAD/LA Outstanding Community Service Award. Tongues took over VIVA in 2000; although Tongues used VIVA's 501(c)3 and identified itself as a VIVA project, VIVA had essentially ended.

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