NHCC names Performing Arts manager
The department is the home of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Film Initiative
Max Maliga has joined the National Hispanic Cultural Center as the Performing Arts Department manager. He began his role in December.
In his new role, Maliga heads up a department that manages three theaters, partners with a wide variety of local arts organizations, and produces dozens of original performances each year on the NHCC campus.
The Performing Arts Department is also the home of the NHCC Film Initiative, which will launch its inaugural Film Symposium on April 13-15.
“Max has brought an exciting new dynamic and leadership to the NHCC’s Performing Arts program with his film industry experience, his creative eye, and his sense of humor,” said Noël Bella Merriam, NHCC artistic director and co-interim executive director. “I’m excited to continue collaborating with him as we build out our Performing Arts schedule for 2023 and beyond, and develop our Film Initiative. He brings valuable insight to the NHCC Program Manager Team’s vision as we all work together to communicate new narratives about Hispanic identity and culture with our community at the local and national level.”
Maliga has more than a decade of experience working in the film industry, including stops at Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and Albuquerque Studios.
“I consider it a great honor to work at the National Hispanic Cultural Center to lead the team tasked with promoting and advancing Hispanic, Latinx and Chicanx performing arts and film,” Maliga said. “I believe equitable representation in the arts is essential to a healthy, functioning society. Art helps humans thrive in our modern world.”
In addition to his film background, Maliga has been performing comedy for more than a decade. He co-led “Killing My Lobster,” the Bay Area’s premier sketch comedy company, for five years, where he also worked as an actor, director, writer and teacher.
“Hispanic, Latinx and Chicanx arts and artists have historically been underrepresented, undervalued, and under-respected,” he said. “By partnering with local and national artists at the NHCC, I believe we can make progress towards more equitable representation for Hispanic, Latinx and Chicanx arts.”