Now entering its fourth year, Destinos is the signature program of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), a transformative cultural engine helping drive the city’s local Latino theater community to a more prominent level.
“In Spanish, the word 'destinos' has multiple meanings: destinies, destinations or fate,” explains Myrna Salazar, Executive Director, Chicago Latino Theater Alliance. “Destinos showcases Latino theater artists from Chicago, across the U.S. and Latin America to present engaging and thought-provoking stories that transcend boundaries, amplify Latino voices, and diversify Chicago stages to encourage cross-cultural conversation.”
The first Destinos in 2017 ran five weeks, and presented 61 performances by 10 companies from Chicago, U.S. and Latin America. In 2018, the festival expanded to six weeks, with 81 performances by 14 companies, engaging approximately 10,000 people, including nearly 700 students who attended matinee performances and participated in post-show discussions with artists, directors and playwrights. Destinos returned in year three with six more weeks of highly attended, critically acclaimed local, national and international programs, with a special contingent of U.S. and international programmers brought in to view the work of Chicago’s top Latino companies. Last fall, CLATA responded to the pandemic by postponing the full festival and instead staged one of Chicago’s first outdoor public art events, Destinos al Aire, a one-night celebration of Latino theater, music and dance presented under the stars to a sold-out crowd at ChiTown Movies.
“Despite the 18-month ‘intermission’ we all just had, CLATA has remained very active behind the scenes, supporting our amazing community of Latino theater artists while planning a high-profile platform for their return to live theater this fall,” said Marty Castro, CLATA Board Chairperson and President and CEO of Casa Central. “So we are excited to announce that Destinos is back this September! We are ready to celebrate the joy and healing power of Latino theater with audiences who are hungry to reconnect with live art and the world around them.”
CLATA was founded in 2016 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization by Myrna Salazar and Chicago’s three most prominent Latino arts organizations: National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC), and Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA), with the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
CLATA’s goal is to create the country’s leading international Latino theater festival with an emphasis on showcasing Chicago Latino theater artists and companies. Additionally, CLATA provides local groups ongoing organizational, marketing and financial support, and works diligently to create a permanent home for Chicago’s Latino theater artists. Ultimately, CLATA strives to underscore Chicago’s reputation as one of the most exciting and culturally diverse theater cities in the world.
For more, visit clata.org or call (312) 631-3112. 
