Today we’d like to introduce you to Thamara Bejarano.
Thamara, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Open Scene began in 2019 because Central Florida needed a consistent home for contemporary Latin creators. What started as a tiny project led by immigrant Latina women grew into a presenter and producer of multilingual, multicultural work. We like art that opens doors and invites people to cross borders of language, identity, and style. We were nomadic from day one. We turned unusual spaces into stages and tested formats from immersive installations to staged readings and forums. That spirit became our signature. Highlights include a VR experience at IMMERSE Fest, Odd Man Out, a theatrical immersion performed in total darkness, a one-night public art piece with an ephemeral dome built from pool noodles that hosted a guided meditation on Park Avenue, and the Harlem Renaissance Experience with eight interactive stations. We also run an international playwriting contest, commission new work, and publish Open Zine, our digital arts magazine. To keep the door open, we pair high standards with access tools like live translation in more than 25 languages and frequent free or choose-what-to-pay entry.
Today, we have supported hundreds of artists and produced more than forty original or curated programs. We are gearing up for the fifth Latin Performing Arts Festival, September 22 to 28, 2025, at the A&H Museums of Maitland. To celebrate our 5th anniversary, we’re transforming the entire campus into a living canvas, with free RSVP access to U.S. and world premieres, plus countless ways to be part of it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Rewarding, yes. Smooth, not really. Orlando often equates “Latin” with salsa nights, so we enjoy surprising people with contemporary, multilingual work. When we lead with the art and share context, they lean in. After Odd Man Out, a guest told us, “I did not know this was Latin theater, I just know it moved me.” That is the goal. Access is a core value, so many programs are free or choose-what-to-pay. We learned to honor the work’s value while keeping the door open. Clear RSVPs, limited capacity, and post-event stories help people see that accessible and high-quality can happily live together.
Being nomadic taught us to treat the city as our stage and to build partnerships that feel like real collaboration, not transactions. Funding pressures made us more inventive. We broadened our grant search, built sponsorships tied to measurable community outcomes, and grew individual support. People love seeing a gift turn into translation headsets and accessibility tools for more than 25 languages.
Constraints have a way of sharpening your mission. Ours is to make world-class, multicultural experiences welcoming, understandable, and unforgettable.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Open Scene is a Latina, immigrant-led arts presenter and producer based in Orlando. We create multilingual and multicultural performances, installations, and community programs. We are known for the Latin Performing Arts Festival, our digital magazine Open Zine, an international playwriting contest, and for turning everyday places into memorable cultural adventures. What sets us apart is simple: high quality plus real access. We design multilingual experiences and provide live translation in more than 25 languages for artist talks and post-show conversations. We present global artists and premieres, and we love helping audiences feel both welcome and thoughtfully challenged.
As a brand, we are proud of three things. First, a clear curatorial voice that brings contemporary global perspectives to Orlando. Second, leadership by immigrant Latina women that keeps inclusion practical and real, and that advocates nationally for better cultural representation. Third, a true commitment to accessibility, from live translation and audio description options to programs that feature visually impaired or neurodivergent creators.
For readers and partners, the invitation is open. Come to the festival with a free RSVP. Explore Open Zine for cultural stories and context. Bring our programs to your venue or city through commissions, residencies, and public art. Sponsor events tied to measurable community outcomes, such as language access or family-friendly programming. If you believe culture should be excellent and easy to access, we would love to work together.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson is to never assume the other person understands what you mean. Language is only one layer. Culture adds many more. “Hispanic” is not one audience. It encompasses more than twenty cultures. “Latino” also includes Portuguese and Haitian Creole. What moves someone from Caracas is not always what moves someone from San Juan or Puebla. From that lesson came two simple rules. Never program for a stereotype. Never expect people to decode your message through your lens. Our job is to frame with clarity and warmth, to give context and translation, and to offer a safe, welcoming space.
When we do that, something beautiful happens. Local audiences either feel at home again or they feel a spark of wonder in the differences. That is the work we are proud to keep doing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.openscene.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openscene_org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OpenSceneOrlando
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenScene
Image Credits
Image Credits: Open Scene, Carlos Fuguet, Marc Penn II
