La Promesa: Celebrating Legacy, Empowering Generations, Inspiring the Future of Hispanic-Latino Art

Héctor Castellanos Lara is a prominent Cleveland-based artist, arts advocate, and educator whose work has enriched the region's cultural landscape for over three decades. As Artistic Director of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Parade the Circle and the Cleveland Public Theatre’s Día de Muertos (celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024), Héctor has brought vibrant, community-centered art to life.

His extensive collaborations include installations at Ingenuity Fest, BriteWinter, FireFish Fest, and Rooms to Let, as well as partnerships with organizations like MetroHealth System, ArtHouse, and Julia de Burgos Cultural Art Center. Héctor has also served as an Artist-in-Residence with the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin, leading outreach programs in schools and community centers.
Héctor’s bilingual workshops, including his renowned Alebrijes sessions, have inspired countless participants through partnerships with the Beck Center for the Arts, Hildebrandt ArtLab, and Lakeland Community College. In addition, he works as a Creative Art Specialist/Therapist with Journey Safety and Healing.

His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Irene Catlin Leadership Award (2023), Distinguished Citizen for Art Education (2014), and the Spirit of the Community Award (2010). In 2022, Héctor was featured on IdeaStream’s Applause, highlighting his transformative impact on the arts in Greater Cleveland.

https://www.spacescle.org/about/artists/hector-castellanos-lara