Bilingual Art: Spreading Culture to Hispanics Nationwide

With the increasing presence of Spanish in Museums, Latinos throughout the country are rushing to see new art exhibits. From the display of works that actually incorporate Spanish into their presentation to the presence of bilingual labels, museums are making art increasingly accessible for Spanish-speakers. The initiative to target the Latino market is particularly active in the region of Southern California. This is partly attributed to the region’s close proximity to the Mexican-American border that attracts a huge influx of Latin American immigrants. This influx contributes to the state’s already large Hispanic population.

The most visible inclusion of Spanish language in art is an enormous LED display outside the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art.  This work by Jenny Holzer displays Spanish sayings that alternate with their English counterparts every half hour. San Diego is not alone in its strife to target Latino consumers. Numerous museums throughout the state of California including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Getty Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art have launched intensive Spanish-language campaigns in the last five years. As campaign initiatives, museums display Spanish labels for works, provide Spanish translations of their catalog and website, and host bilingual tours. Even their phone systems have a Spanish option.

Given Census data indicating that 1 in 3 people in California are Latino, the incorporation of professional Spanish translations and bilingual services is a necessary step to target this growing market. Though Spanish-language campaigns are less prevalent and more sporadic in other parts of the country, the changing demographics and growing Latino population is forcing organizations to brainstorm new methods and initiatives to expand their network of consumers. As Latinos become more influential in the U.S., it becomes increasingly important for businesses and organizations to invest in translation and interpretation services to reach out to Non-native English speakers.

By Karina Lairet