The Puerto Rican Arts Initiative, started by former Northwestern Prof. Ramón H. Rivera-Servera, will become a joint initiative between NU and the University of Texas at Austin this year. The initiative focuses on supporting Puerto Rican artists by helping them build community in Chicago and Puerto Rico. Additionally, the program helps participating artists develop and sustain their practices in Puerto Rico and share their art with a wider audience. The Puerto Rican Arts Initiative is currently in its second phase — the first phase, which involved 20 artists, concluded in May 2021. Rivera-Servera was appointed dean of UT-Austin’s College of Fine Arts on July 1, which prompted the shift to a collaborative initiative.