ATLANTA, Ga (October 6, 2022) – CLC, the leading collegiate licensing and branding agency, and six University of Texas System schools have collaborated to develop the “Arte con Voz” merchandise collection featuring Hispanic and Latino lifestyle artists in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15 – October 15.

The University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas El Paso, University of Texas Permian Basin, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and University of Texas San Antonio will each have merchandise that pays homage to artistic contributions from the Hispanic and Latino community through customized designs produced by acclaimed Hispanic lifestyle artists.

The name of the collection, Arte con Voz, or art with voice, was derived from a meeting with the Mestizo Cultural Studies program at the University of Texas San Antonio, as part of the planning efforts. The official Arte con Voz logo was developed by participating artist Carlos Donjuan’s artist collective, Sour Grapes Crew, in Dallas, TX.

“Hispanic and Latino culture and traditions are a vital part of all of our University of Texas System schools, and we are proud to honor that history and pride through the Arte con Voz collection,” said Craig Westemeier, Associate Athletics Director of Trademarks for the UT System. “We are excited to bring together many of our member schools to deliver a voice for Hispanic Heritage through the unique art and product designs.”

The limited-edition collection includes fashion t-shirts from popular collegiate licensee Original Retro Brand, and vintage-inspired basketball style shorts by 19Nine.

“The Arte con Voz Collection was developed to provide participating institutions with a way to connect with their diverse student bodies and fans while also strengthening relationships with local communities,” said Ben Emmons, vice president of marketing at CLC. “The merchandise showcases the styles of the selected artists through brightly colored designs, unique fonts, and logo treatments that are not available in other collegiate licensed merchandise.”

The artists participating in the collection include:

• Christin Apodaca – Christin Apodaca was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where she found an interest in drawing. She later studied art at University of Texas El Paso before transferring to the University of New Mexico where she earned a degree in Studio Art. She moved back to El Paso where she became a teaching artist. Her work can be seen in area businesses, galleries, and festivals.
• Juan Jose “JJ” Bali, Jr. – JJ Bali is a South Texas based artist from the Rio Grande Valley who specializes in mural artworks. From aerosols to buckets of paint, he uses flexible mediums and materials to convey messages and brand stories. While he has a particular passionate for sports and sports themed subject matter, he also combines graphic and fine arts elements to help local businesses communicate their brand identity. 
• Carlos Donjuan – Born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Carlos Donjuan immigrated to the United States at the age of three and discovered a passion for drawing cartoons, cars, and comic characters. After expressing himself through graffiti and mural art in his youth, he pursued an art education, receiving a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and a master’s degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He currently serves as a professor at UTA and exhibits his own art in galleries and museums all over the country and Europe.
• Los Otros – Shek Vega and Nik Soup make up the Texas-based mural duo known as Los Otros, which is highly sought out for fine street art murals. Based in San Antonio, Los Otros murals can be found in elite galleries, museums, independent businesses, and large corporations, as well as in the homes of celebrities, and high-profile individuals all over the world. To date, Los Otros has aided in the creation of over eighty pieces of public art and has raised more than $40,000 for non-profits and art organizations.

The Arte con Voz collection is available exclusively at Follett campus bookstores of participating universities.

About The University of Texas System

The University of Texas System has served Texas for more than 135 years, improving the lives of Texans—and people all over the world—through education, health care and research at 13 academic and health institutions across the state. With an enrollment of almost 243,000 students and an operating budget of $23.4 billion, the UT System is one of the nation’s largest public university systems of higher education.

 For media inquiries, contact:

Anya Fischer, University of Texas System, anya.fisher@athletics.utexas.edu, 443-875-8742

Tammy Purves, CLC, tammy.purves@clc.com, 770-799-3275