The University of Mary Washington Galleries will host two exhibitions: “Converging Cultures: Works by Latino Artists” from Thursday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Ridderhof Martin Gallery and “UMW Faculty Exhibition” from Thursday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Oct. 6 at the duPont Gallery. The opening receptions will be held on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the respective galleries. Admission is free and open to the public for both receptions and exhibitions. “Converging Cultures: Works by Latino Artists” will showcase the works of more than 15 Latino artists. They are from all over the United States from New York to Texas, Florida to California, but all come from Latino backgrounds. While the artists’ backgrounds have influenced the artwork, Exhibition Curator F. Lennox Campello, insists that, “…art, regardless of the label, should and must always stand as art, first and foremost.”   In conjunction with the exhibition, Campello, an artist and art critic, will present a lecture “On Identity in the Arts: What it Means to be Latino” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, as part of the UMW Galleries Fall Lecture Series. Campello’s lecture, which will take place in the Ridderhof Martin Gallery, will give an illustration discussion on the history and evolution of the Latino ethnic label. “UMW Faculty Exhibition” features the work of the university’s four full-time studio faculty: Joseph DiBella, professor of painting and drawing; Carole Garmon, professor of sculpture; Rosemary Jesionowski, associate professor of multiple imaging, and Jon McMillan assistant professor of ceramics. Both galleries are located on College Avenue on the Fredericksburg campus and are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The galleries are closed during university holidays and breaks. Free parking for gallery visitors is designated in the lot on College Avenue at Thornton Street. For directions and more information, call (540) 654-1013 or visit http://galleries.umw.edu.