SOMArts’ Día de Los Muertos 2025: We Love You is a Heartfelt Affirmation to Those Most Affected by the Current Administration

SOMArts’ Día de Los Muertos 2025: We Love You is a Heartfelt Affirmation to Those Most Affected by the Current Administration

Curated by Rio Yañez and Bridgètt Rex
On view October 11–November 7, 2025
Opening reception Friday, October 10, 6–9 PM PST
Closing reception & Drag Show Friday, November 7, 6–9 PM PST

Wednesday, September 17, 2025, San Francisco, CA– SOMArts Cultural Center proudly announces the 26th annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, Día de los Muertos 2025: We Love You, on view October 11–November 7, 2025. Curated by Rio Yañez and Bridgètt Rex, the exhibition continues the legacy of founding curator and beloved artist René Yañez with a bold vision that honors the tradition’s Mexican roots while inviting communities worldwide to unite in remembrance and solidarity.

Día de Los Muertos at SOMArts has always responded to the social justice and community concerns of the moment. This year’s showcase features 13 self-identified women, trans, and gender-nonconforming artists, including lead artists working in group and collective projects engaging with challenges posed by the current administration. Participating artists include Ancestral Dreams Collective, a group of young queer and trans Black and Indigenous artists of color who transform the dining room and kitchen as an altar–a space where they break bread with their ancestors and chosen family. Horizons at San Francisco Friend School is collaborating with female, trans, and gender non-conforming participants and their families to create a physical and emotional space for healing and resistance. Meanwhile, BAAITS (Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits) honors the “sacred place of Two-Spirit people within Indigenous cultures, recognizing their inherent wholeness and vital contributions.”

In keeping with the tradition of Día de Los Muertos, altars dedicated to loved ones who have passed will be on view. Inspired by a vintage postcard of Mexico’s volcanoes and in remembrance of her maternal grandparents, multidisciplinary artist Rosario Sotelo reflects on the intersection of personal and collective histories and the ways stories from our past guide us through grief.

As the curators share, “This exhibition is love and solidarity in action for those living through an unprecedented challenge to their rights, bodily autonomy, access to safe medical care, and even sports. Through an intersectional lens, we also wanted to highlight the ways artists are addressing systemic inequities perpetuated by the administration and inspire us to be guided by community, care, and hope.”

“Founded by local artists and advocates, SOMArts has always been a radical and inclusive space for cultural liberation and community joy. In our 26th Día de los Muertos exhibition, we are honored to amplify the voices of self-identified women, trans, and gender-nonconforming artists who are bravely sharing their stories at a time when they are desperately fighting for their rights–this is advocacy, testimony, a call to action,” says Maria Jenson, SOMArts’ Creative & Executive Director. “We are proud to provide a vessel for these artists whose expression demands justice and reimagines what freedom looks like.”

We Love You opens with an exhibition unveiling and all-ages reception on Friday, October 10, 6–9 PM ($15 suggested donation; free for youth under 16; no one turned away for lack of funds). The evening features a Día de los Muertos–inspired artist market with local vendors and makers, along with a special musical performance by Louda y Los Bad Hombres, known for their “melismatic melodies, inventive arrangements, and dynamic instrumentation, blending nostalgic original compositions with unforgettable renditions of popular favorites for audiences worldwide.”

The exhibition culminates with the closing reception on Friday, November 7, 6–9 PM, and features a tender and heartfelt Day of the Dead drag show curated by Per Sia, a dedicated educator and one of San Francisco’s most beloved drag icons. Tickets to the closing reception are $15, youth under 16 are free; no one turned away for lack of funds.

EXHIBITING ARTISTS
Anais Azul Arias-Aragón & Adrian Arias, Angel Albie Anjos, Anel Flores, Ancestral Dreams Collective, BAAITS Drum, Cynthia Tom, Elizabeth Addison, Juliet Flower & Dean MacCannell, Las Mujeres de la Familia Brown, Humberto Maldonado, Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, Lia Tealdi, Liv Styler, Monique Lopez, Rosario Sotelo

CURATORS
Rio Yañez and Bridgètt Rex

ACCESSIBILITY
SOMArts is wheelchair accessible and in proximity to several nearby public transportation stops. SOMArts does not have automatic doors at its Main Entrance. Restrooms are ADA-accessible and low-scent cleaning products are used.

For more detailed information regarding accessibility at SOMArts, contact info@somarts.org with any related requests, questions, or concerns.

GALLERY HOURS
Thursday, 3:00–7:00 PM
Friday, 12:00–7:00 PM
Saturday–Sunday, 12:00–5:00 PM

CALENDAR LISTINGS
Gallery entry and exhibition programs are free, all ages unless otherwise noted; Eventbrite RSVPs are highly encouraged.

Día de Los Muertos 2025: We Love You
On view October 11–November 7, 2025

Featuring self-identified women, trans, and gender nonconforming artists, We Love You cultivates a safe and welcoming environment where altars serve as a response to the challenges posed by the current administration.

To learn more, visit: https://somarts.org/exhibition/weloveyou/

Opening Reception & Exhibition Unveiling
Friday, October 10, 6–9 PM PST
$15 suggested donation, youth 16 and under free; All ages, NOTAFLOF

Get your tickets for the all-ages reception and exhibition unveiling featuring a Día de Los Muertos-inspired artist market and musical performance by Louda y Los Bad Hombres.

For tickets, visit: weloveyouopening.eventbrite.com

Closing Reception & Drag Show
Friday, November 7, 6–9 PM PST
$15, youth under 16 free; All ages, NOTAFLOF

Last chance to view this year’s Día de Los Muertos and features Day of the Dead drag show that explores drag as an altar.

Stay tuned for closing reception announcements

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ABOUT SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER
SOMArts Cultural Center, founded in 1979, cultivates access to the arts within the Bay Area by collaborating with community-focused artists and organizations. Together, we engage the power of the arts to provoke just and fair inclusion, cultural respect, and civic participation.

SOMArts is located at 934 Brannan Street—between 8th and 9th—within 2 blocks of 101, I-80, Muni lines, and bike paths. For public information call 415-863-1414 or visit somarts.org. Stay connected by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.