The Daphne Art Foundation proudly honors and celebrates Maritza Bautista, our founding Executive Director, whose visionary spirit and relentless drive carved vital space for artists throughout Laredo. Maritza has announced she will be stepping into a new role at the world-renowned contemporary art museum The Chinati Foundation in Marfa, TX. This is a remarkable opportunity that reflects the breadth of Maritza’s talent and the depth of her impact.
From the moment Maritza joined Daphne Art Foundation in 2019, we shared a bold vision: to create opportunities and secure the resources artists need to thrive. Through constancy of purpose and tenacity, she built the bedrock of what has become a cornerstone of our region’s creative ecosystem - a dynamic organization that champions artists, bridges community bonds, and sparks imagination across generations. With her expertise in program development, exhibition curation, arts education, and as a working artist herself, Maritza helped shape Daphne Art Foundation’s voice and values, activated its mission and ethos, and in doing so, cultivated a vibrant artistic community that has reshaped the cultural fabric of our city.
Maritza has worked tirelessly, pouring her heart and soul into every facet of our organization. She created true space for artists, not just to be seen but to be supported, fiercely advocating for artists’ access to resources, their rightful place in our community, and compensation that honors their labor. She understood that to truly honor creativity, we must value it. Under her leadership, Daphne Art Foundation became a place where artists are compensated and valued to create, where all voices are uplifted, and where art is never an afterthought but a catalyst for change.
Maritza’s gift has always been turning possibility into something palpable. Through Cultivarte, our artist-in-residence program, she listened and challenged our resident artists, guiding them to think critically about their work. She developed Raíces so children could discover the freedom of self-expression and see themselves reflected in the arts. In launching Tragaluz: A Borderland Journal of Arts and Culture, she shaped a publication that gave our region a voice that speaks honestly about who we are and who we can become. Each exhibition she curated pulsed as a living dialogue-bold, alive with curiosity, and exquisitely calibrated to expand borders and deepen critical insight. Her mentorship and unwavering insistence that artists be valued have permanently shaped the way our community creates and connects.
We are so proud of Maritza, not just for what she’s built, but for how she’s built it. With intention. With generosity. And with a deep belief in the power the arts have in transforming communities.
Maritza’s next chapter at The Chinati Foundation is nothing short of extraordinary, a testament to her talent and to Laredo’s ability to nurture world-class artistic leadership. Though we will miss her deeply, we know she will continue to make an indelible impact, proving that the creative spirit forged in our city belongs on the global stage.
Maritza, you’ve etched your legacy into Laredo’s cultural fabric; now it’s the world’s turn to feel that brilliance. It has been our deepest honor to work alongside you. And now, it is our greatest joy to watch you soar.
