• The Meet the Artists Series will feature post-performance and –exhibit receptions and other gatherings where audience members can talk with performers and artists.
  
  
• The Arts Exhibition Gallery will open with an exhibit of portraits by Chinese Salvadoran painter Nicolas Shi followed by an exhibit by local Afro-Cuban photographer Nestor Hernandez.
  
  
• The Concert Series will take place in LAFI’s new "El Palenque" Cultural Space and will include performances by groups ranging from the Chilean folk ensemble Inti-Illimani to Cantaré, a local Latin American folk ensemble that presents programs for children.

"With these funds for community outreach, we can ensure that local residents are aware of these exciting new programs," says Marietta Ulacia, LAFI’s Executive Director. "Our existing events, classes and workshops have proven to be very popular, so we intend to continue expanding our offerings to ensure that audiences learn about the rich diversity of Latin American cultures."

In 2003, LAFI will also be offering percussion classes to at-risk youth in Maryland and Washington, DC. LAFI currently offers music, dance and visual arts classes; sponsors and hosts performances and workshops; and publishes the quarterly journal, Clave.

The Latin American Folk Institute was founded in 1997 to foster a greater understanding of and interest in Latin American arts, particularly those arts with strong traditional and folkloric roots.