TIFTON — The Syd Blackmarr Arts Center hopes to celebrate local Latino artists through a collaboration with Hispanic and Latino heritage celebration La Fiesta del Pueblo.

With the festival itself debuting near the end of September, Tifton residents can get a taste of the celebration through the arts center’s La Fiesta del Pueblo art exhibit, a collection of pieces from local Latino and Hispanic artists aiming to serve as a sort of prologue to the end of the month event.

“This is something that we’ve always wanted to do before La Fiesta del Pueblo, and now the arts council is our partner in this,” said Dina Willis, Fiesta del Pueblo founder. “We decided that we definitely wanted to show the community what artists we have.”

Bruce Green, executive director of the Tifton Council for the Arts, stated that the council and the La Fiesta del Pueblo Committee had put out a call to artists encouraging them to submit their work to the exhibition, eager to showcase the skill and creativity they could put to paper, canvas, or other mediums.

Eight artists offered their work to the exhibit, many from the Tiftarea but some coming from outside the county, and put together a full gallery of artworks celebrating their culture, heritage, and inspirations.

Green stated that no theme had been planned for the exhibit, only the aim to showcase the works of local Latino and Hispanic artists. As such, each artist’s collection of art offers a different experience to patrons of the exhibit, from highlighting the struggles and memories of the artist’s homeland and life as an immigrant to an exploration of their personal feelings, dreams, or ponderings.

Alongside this exhibit, the Tifton Council for the Arts plans to hold a collection of additional events in celebration of Latino Heritage Month, including a showing of a documentary on Frida Kahlo Sept. 16 and a presentation on Mayan history and culture by Dr. Lilia Lizama Aranda, executive director of the Maya Heritage Center, the evening of Sep. 19.

La Fiesta del Pueblo will also be hosting the 20th anniversary of its Miss Fiesta del Pueblo pageant Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. as an accompanying celebration to the festival.

The gallery will be on display at the Syd until Sept. 19, two days before La Fiesta del Pueblo comes to town. Viewing hours will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

For more information about the exhibition or any of the other events the arts council will be hosting throughout the month, visit their website at www.tiftonarts.com. Information on La Fiesta del Pueblo or their accompanying events can be found on their Facebook page or at www.lafiestadelpueblotifton.org.