In 1997, Queens Theatre in the Park founded the Latino Cultural Festival with the Latin American Cultural Center of Queens to celebrate the contributions of Latin American artists to New York’s cultural life.  Queens Theatre saw that a rising number of Latinos were calling Queens home and adopted an artistic vision that is at once local and global.  Through the Festival’s performing arts programs, Queens Theatre could better serve the changing community with artistic programs that were relevant and could resonate throughout the community.   
 
Under the leadership of Claudia Norman, Festival Artistic Director since 1999, QTP highlights Spanish, African and Caribbean influences, presents rich folk traditions, and spotlights a range of popular and cutting edge artists.  By amplifying new voices and showcasing classic heritage, she has transformed a modest cabaret series into the nation’s largest and most important Latino multi-disciplinary cultural festival, featuring music, theatre, dance, film and family productions, as well as visual art exhibitions.  Many of the participating Central and South American artists now make the Festival their exclusive NYC engagement.  This once local effort to better serve Latino audiences has become a major cultural attraction in the Northeast.