CreArte Latino names new full-time managing director

CreArte Latino Cultural Center has promoted Cinthia Peña to the position of full-time managing director. Previously, Peña was part-time director of marketing, a position she has held since 2022. 

Her new role is made possible by a grant from the Charles Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation that will help CreArte Latino bolster its long-term staffing, internal systems and organizational structure. 

In her new role, Peña will oversee daily operations and financial management, ensuring that systems, policies and resources align with CreArte Latino’s mission and artistic priorities. Her responsibilities include managing budgets, contracts and administrative functions, as well as supporting fundraising efforts and external partnerships.

Founded in 2012 as a Spanish-language theater troupe, CreArte Latino became a nonprofit organization in 2017. It promotes a bilingual cultural exchange between Latinos/Hispanics in Sarasota and Manatee counties and the wider community through arts and educational initiatives.

One recent memorable presentation was "Agridulce/Bittersweet," a 2023 multilingual mashup of song, dance, physical comedy and improv created by playwright Eliza Ladd and choreographer and theater lighting designer Diego Villada.

In late 2024, CreArte Latino moved to a new space on Northgate Boulevard, where it hosts exhibitions, workshops, lectures and performances that cover the Hispanic cultures of Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. 

Peña brings a diverse professional background to her leadership role. She earned a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and merchandising and worked in private branding and apparel manufacturing, developing and launching apparel lines for nationally recognized retailers.

In recent years, she has focused on the nonprofit sector, serving community organizations as a consultant, social media manager and media coordinator. Her work centers on strengthening nonprofit visibility, storytelling and community engagement. Peña's involvement with CreArte Latino dates to 2018, when she first became a volunteer.

“Cinthia is the ideal managing director for our organization,” said Carolina Franco, founder and artistic director of CreArte Latino Cultural Center, in a statement. “She doesn’t just understand our mission; she lives it. Her passion for fostering a united, multicultural community is evident in everything she does.”

“It’s a privilege to continue serving CreArte in a leadership role, and I am excited to work alongside Carolina to create programs that celebrate our culture, nurture creativity and expand opportunities for the Latino and Hispanic community we proudly serve,” said Peña in a statement. “It is an honor to witness CreArte Latino’s evolution and to see how deeply this space is needed and valued.”

Franco added that she is grateful to the Barancik Foundation for “the support that made this possible. Their investment in committed team members is essential to building a stronger organizational structure and carrying out more effective plans.”