UTSA addresses community’s questions about ITC’s future

MAY 9, 2022 — In 2021, UTSA launched the ITC Centennial 2068 visioning and community engagement process to envision the next 50 years of the Institute of Texan Cultures, the only resource in Texas entirely devoted to our state’s rich cultural heritage.

As the steering committee continues its work to consider recommendations for the ITC and its museum, UTSA has created a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page to clarify common topics about the visioning process.

The FAQ, as well as numerous other resources, can be found on the ITC Centennial 2068 website.

“Communicating with the ITC’s many community stakeholders has been a priority throughout the progression of ITC Centennial 2068 as public participation and engagement is critical to the success of both the visioning process as well as the future of the ITC,” said Steering Committee Co-Chair Carlos Martinez, UTSA senior vice president for institutional strategic planning and chief of staff for the Office of President Taylor Eighmy. “We hope people will continue to explore the ITC Centennial 2068 website to learn about the university’s commitment to preserving the ITC’s museum and its assets for the benefit of all Texans, and we hope the FAQ will address any concerns or misconceptions about the future of the ITC." 

“We believe we can find creative solutions at our Hemisfair Park location to support the ITC and downtown San Antonio.”

In addition to explaining work to date, the FAQ addresses a number of specific questions about the future of the ITC that have been posed by the public. Among them:

• What ideas are being considered to make ITC self-sustaining? 
• Will the ITC’s name change?
• Will ITC relocate from the Texas Pavilion?
• Why is accreditation important?
• Will the Texas Folklife Festival and Asian Festival continue? 
• Will the ITC continue to host school field trips? 
• Will the ITC continue the docent program? 

The FAQ will be updated regularly to address new questions as the visioning process continues to develop.

Following the release of the steering committee’s possible scenarios for ITC and the museum, expected sometime in June, UTSA will conduct another community engagement survey to offer the public a final opportunity to share feedback. The possible scenarios and public feedback will be shared with university leadership later this summer.

"UTSA and San Antonio have a tremendous opportunity to shape the way Texas preserves and shares the story of its rich cultural history, while also leveraging our talented students and UTSA's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution and R1 research university,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, UTSA provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and co-chair of ITC Centennial 2068. “We believe we can find creative solutions at our Hemisfair Park location to support the ITC and downtown San Antonio, and create an accessible and compelling museum experience for visitors from across the state and around the world.”

Espy continued, “We are so grateful to all who have taken part and shared their ideas and their passion for the ITC, Texas and San Antonio thus far, and as we near the end of this phase of the visioning process, we ask for the community’s continued support so that we can better map the future of the ITC.”