Four years ago, Erick Picardo — a local musician and fine art painter of Caribbean descent — had a vision to create within our city a new platform where we could publicly recognize the contributions of our local Latin American artists and musicians as we collectively celebrate their impact on our city’s culture.
In 2012, Picardo, a founding member of the Caribbean Coalition for the Arts & Culture (CCAC) — a local collaboration group for our area's Caribbean business and friends — paved the way for this awards show and other cultural events devoted to the Latino and Afro-Latino culture to emerge in West Michigan.
Part of CCAC’s
Grand Rapids Latin Music Awards’ (GRLMA) mission grew out of their vision to expand our region’s access and experiences with the cultural heritage of Latin America and the Caribbean.
New this year, GRLMA’s ceremony will incorporate a modern twist as urban music and DJ-created rhythms are recognized alongside the more traditional styles of salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia.
The stage will be filled with local musical acts and singers, all of them shining a light on the contributions of our Latin and Caribbean community members.
Admission: $10