Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) is hosting a series of Día De Los Muertos events.

• The Grand Cemetery of J.G. Posada and M. Manilla Calaveras: Bring Back the Dead: A Memoriam for the Dead is on view at MCCLA Galleries until November 21. To schedule a tour, call MCCLA. Admission is $30 for a group of 25 students. This provides a rarely seen sampling of the many calavera, or skeletons images in the original broadsides illustrated by two artists. The calaveras, like "La Catrina" that you see during Dia de los Muertos may have their roots in the ancient customs of the Mexican people but the worldwide migration of calaveras and modern popularization is due mainly to two Mexican printmakers, José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) and Manuel Manilla (1830-1895). While based in Mexico City, they created thousands of images to illustrate publications. Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco would later give credit to Posada for his inspiration and influence. The Chicano art movement in the U.S. as well as much modern art throughout the Americas, even rock and roll's Grateful Dead all carry the influence of Posada and Manilla's work.

• The Gala Reception: Danza Azteca will be on Monday, November 2, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Admission is $5. Mask making demonstration by Felipe Horta from Michoacán, Mexico, Sugar Skulls by Miguel Quintana from Puebla, Mexico, and Pan de Muertos y Chocolate, Day of the Dead limited edition prints are on view.

• At the main gallery, there will be altars and installations by Claudia Chapline, Rosalina Contreras, Rosamunda Ayala, Anna Efanova, Dilcia Girón, Susana Gómez, Instructors and Students from GLO Program, Dena Al-Adeeb, Rosa María Hernandez, England Hidalgo, Marcius Noceda, Carlo Ricafort, Mel Vera Cruz, Lian Ladia, Erendiras Leyva, Rivera Family, Larry Reed, Favianna Rodriguez, Leslie Dreyer, Rosa Valdez, Ann Schnake, Arturo Delgado-Rendon, Leicester Huezo, Alejandra Campos, Claudia Guzmán, Rafael Vieira, Martin Zuniga, Tuyet Tran, Nadya Williams, Alfonso Ochoa and others. The popular alter will be selected by judges Carlos Villa: artist teacher, community resource, producer, and Luis R. Cancel: artist, curator and Director of Cultural Affairs of the San Francisco Arts Commission: $500 for the Best Traditional Altar and $500 for the Best Contemporary Altar/Installation.

• The San Francisco Symphony and MCCLA will celebrate Día De Los Muertos with pre-concert activities (food and festivities), followed by a concert led by Alondra de la Parra on November 1 at 2 p.m. at the Davies Symphony Hall. A group of large paper animals that were created during a series of workshops held at MCCLA will be displayed at the lobby. Altars created during an altar making workshop for kids at MCCLA and a collection of MCCLA Day of the Dead prints will also be on display at the lobby. www.sfsymphony.org

• Annual Day of the Dead procession lead by Rescue Culture Collective will be on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7 p.m. at 24th and Bryant Streets.

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
2868 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
415-821-1155
www.missionculturalcenter.org