San Antonio, TX — January 20th, 2026
Mariachi Las Alteñas, a celebrated all-women San Antonio-based mariachi ensemble, is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture Artist Grant for fiscal year 2026. This distinguished award supports local arts professionals in creating innovative new work and enriching the cultural landscape of our city and aligns with the group’s upcoming 25th anniversary in 2027.
The Artist Grants program, funded in part by the City’s Hotel Occupancy Tax and the Arts & Entertainment Enhancement Fund, awards annual grants of $7,500 and $15,000 to San Antonio artists working across disciplines including performing arts, recognizing exceptional talent and artistic vision. Las Alteñas is one of the first collective ensembles to receive the grant as part of the city’s program expansion.
“We are deeply honored and grateful to receive this support from the City of San Antonio,” said Valerie Vargas, Founding Director of Mariachi Las Alteñas. “This grant empowers us to expand our creative boundaries, collaborate with community partners, and share the rich tradition of mariachi music with wider audiences. This also comes at the perfect time as we gear up toward our 25th anniversary next year.”
Mariachi Las Alteñas plans to use the grant funding to not only produce their next studio album, but to commission new musical compositions, support local recording studios, and to host a public album launch party that highlights the ensemble’s artistic excellence and commitment to community engagement.
The City’s Artist Grants foster artistic innovation and strengthen San Antonio’s cultural identity by investing in local creators who make meaningful contributions to the community. Through this support, Mariachi Las Alteñas will continue its legacy as a trusted ambassador of mariachi culture both locally and beyond.
About Mariachi Las Alteñas
Mariachi Las Alteñas is a distinguished mariachi ensemble rooted in San Antonio’s vibrant cultural heritage. The group formed in 2002 and quickly built a reputation as Texas’s finest female mariachi, being recruited to represent the city on national platforms such as ABC’s Good Morning America and wowing audiences at the Hollywood Bowl’s Mariachi USA Festival. They captured first place at Houston’s Go Tejano Mariachi Competition in 2009 and 2010, were named SA Pick’s Best Local Band/Artist in 2019, and have toured coast‑to‑coast, headlining festivals such as SXSW, Festival International de Louisiane, and Mariachi USA. The ensemble’s excellence has earned them a place on the Texas Commission on the Arts touring roster throughout 2026.
Over their two decades, Mariachi Las Alteñas has been featured in Allure Magazine and on NBC Nightly News and they continue to push boundaries. Their most recent video won Luminaria Nightstream’s music‑video contest in 2021.
For more information, visit:
https://www.mariachilasaltenas.com
Press & Media:
https://www.mariachilasaltenas.com/press
Media Contact:
Mariachi Las Alteñas
(210) 340-0128 | mariachilasaltenas@yahoo.com