Philadelphia, PA – On Friday, December 8th, from 5 pm to 8 pm, the grand opening and inauguration of Galería Esperanza, Esperanza Art Gallery, will take place, and with it, many dreams will be fulfilled. Esperanza Founder, President & CEO Reverend Luis Cortés, long dreamed of establishing a neighborhood gallery where artists from a young age to those already well-recognized can showcase their works, providing the entire community with access to the arts without the typical barriers associated with venturing into Philadelphia Center City.
For this momentous occasion, the distinguished artist of honor is the renowned master and visionary Luis «Tato» González, who has spent several months crafting an exclusive art collection titled «Dream of the Kings» for this gallery.
Embark on a spiritual journey through paintings depicting biblical stories, including the revelation of the fourth wise man—an often-overlooked figure carrying a message left by Jesus. This collection was given to Tato in a dream: «I believed that the same way I received the message about painting the wise king collections, Los Reyes Magos received the message to follow a star and meet with baby Jesus, the King of Kings… Being part of this big dream for the community made me happy.»
This event is just a brief look at what the art gallery will bring to our community in the coming years. Plans and details for future exhibits are still in the works. Every detail is meticulously prepared with the overarching vision of the arts as an integral part of building an opportunity community: a hub in North Philadelphia where everyone can access housing, education, legal and immigration assistance, employment opportunities, business guidance, environmental awareness, accurate community information, and more. Art serves as a fundamental tool for hope within this ecosystem.
In pursuit of this vision, a theater has been established in 2018, showcasing performances rivaling the best in the country alongside music classes for those interested. Now, the gallery joins this dream to round out Esperanza Arts Center.
Save the date and get an exclusive look at the «Sueño de Reyes » as collectively, the history of North Philadelphia continues to be written. A dream that started for an artist in Puerto Rico and will come alive right here in Philadelphia.
Address: Esperanza (4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140). Use the address 409 W Bristol Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, for GPS navigation. This will take you directly across from our parking lot. To access the private event, please enter through Esperanza’s main entrance.
Lili Daliessio is the Community Information Manager at Esperanza Housing and Economic Development.
