About Us

Mission Statement

Through art education programming and civic projects  S.M.A.R.T. (Supporting Multiple Arts Resources Together) is dedicated to raising awareness of the developmental impact of the arts on our city.

Our goal is to educate. Our inspiration is community. Our hope is to create an appreciation for the arts

Slogan

“An ART City is a SMART City”

Board Members

  • Rudy Choperana
  • Therese McDevitt
  • Larry Mendez
  • Greg Murray, Treasurer
  • Robert Thrailkill
  • Carlos Zapata


Greg Murray, CPA

Therese McDevitt

Terry McDevitt is the founder and President of McDevitt Media Group, LLC, a strategic communications practice with offices in San Antonio, Texas and New York City. At organizations including Texas Monthly, ABC News, Conde Nast Publications, and Time Inc. she has served as a communications leader on management teams charged with launching major business initiatives and revitalizing legendary brands. As Vice President of Communications at Fortune magazine she was part of the team that co-founded the Most Powerful Women Summit, and also directed significant global media relations efforts for Fortune articles and conferences, including the Global Forum series of events in Budapest, Shanghai, Paris, and Hong Kong. Previously she was a Managing Director at Public Strategies, Inc., one of the nation's leading public affairs firms. Ms. McDevitt has served on the board of the Austin Film Society, the Circle of Friends for American Legacy Foundation, and on the national advisory committee for Darkness to Light. She currently serves on the board of the Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park and is active in several arts, environmental and charitable organizations in Texas and New York. Current clients include the Trump Organization, Competitor Group, Inc. (Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Series), Pisces Capital Group, Southwest Texas Water Resources, LP, The CE Group, Inc., Rackspace, SMART, and Culinaria (formerly the New World Wine & Food Festival).

She is a San Antonio native and is currently restoring a historic property in Grey Forest. She spent many years in the media business in New York and has traveled extensively in Europe and Asia for both business and pleasure.


Carlos Zapata

Carlos is a partner at Swirl. Swirl is an Advertising Design studio in San Antonio, Texas.  Carlos is considered an expert in Branding and Identity development having won many industry awards for his designs.  His designs have been included in several publications recognizing the best in graphic design.  Carlos has worked as a creative lead for most of his career. He has worked professionally in the Dallas and San Antonio markets.  Carlos recognized his ability early having won his first poster contest in the fourth grade.  In his free time, Carlos enjoys fishing with his three sons, live music and watching as as many soccer matches as are televised.

Staff

  • Andy Benavides, Executive Director
  • Yvette Benavides, Director

Andy Benavides, Executive Director

Andy Benavides is a native of San Antonio. He graduated from Burbank High School, San Antonio College, and the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising Art. As an undergraduate in Denton, TX he had the opportnity to be mentored under internationally recognized artist Rob Erdle. He has studied in New York, Switzerland and Oaxaca where he continued to refine his education in art. Upon graduation from UNT, he worked as a designer/illustrator in an advertising agency in Dallas. Realizing his calling was home in San Antonio, Benavides moved back in 1991 and worked as a scenic painter and freelanced advertising accounts for local businesses.

His other passion as a picture framer, he officially opened Benavides Picture Framing in 1995. While simultaneously providing custom framing for the San Antonio art community, Benavides was also in demand as a scenic contractor and set designer. In 1996 he established BZ Designs Inc. and in 1997 moved into the 1906 S. Flores space where he opened the ONE9ZERO6 Gallery. As someone who recognizes he could not have traveled as far as he has without the support, encouragement, and advice from his many mentors, Andy took great pride in establishing informal student workshops.  Benavides’ mentorship program allows young artists to develop their areas of creative interest and demonstrates how to market their creations in a real world setting. In 2006 he established S.M.A.R.T. (Supporting Multiple Arts Together) a not for profit organization that is dedicated to raising awareness of the developmental impact of the arts on our city

His diverse interests are balanced through his continued passion for the arts. As an active contemporary artist, he utilizes his sincere exploration of his mediums with experiential concern.

Benavides has three dogs, 7 fish, and two cats. His inspiration comes from his wife Yvette and son Agusto. He makes San Antonio his permanent home.

Mentorship Programs

  • Say Sí, 1994 - present
  • San Anto Cultural Arts, 2001 - present
  • Joven, 1992 - present
  • Light One Candle, 1992 - present
  • Briscoe Elementary, 2008 - present
  • NESA School of the Arts, 1998 - present
  • Carver Cultural Center, 1998 - present
  • Holy Cross High School, 1998

Advisory Board Member Activities

  • Say Sí, 1994 - 1995 Founding Board member
  • Patrician Movement, 1998 - 1999
  • Blue Star Arts Center, 2001 - current
  • CAM / Contemporary Art San Antonio, 2004 - current
  • San Antonio Museum of Art / Friends of Contemporary Art, 2008 - current
  • San Antonio Botanical Society, 2008 - current
  • SMART Fair Inc., 2008 - current

Yvette Benavides, Director

Yvette Benavides was born in Michigan, migrated to the west coast and finally settled in San Antonio, Texas in 2001. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Asian Studies and relocated to Seattle, Washington where she (accidentally but thankfully) began a career in the tech industry when it was in it’s infancy stages. Beginning as an Executive Assistant to the Founder for drugstore.com, she aided in growing the company and taking it public. The first dot com to do so. Because the industry was brand new she had an opportunity to both witness and participate in revolutionizing the way the world did business and specifically how pharmaceutical drugs were handled and accessed. She participated in forcing change and was hooked. Aiding in research, business development, education and outreach her career transitioned from administrative to business development. She moved on in partnership with the founder to launch an early stage venture capital firm, Catamount Ventures, in San Francisco. Serving as Director of Operations she entered the world of high finance, spreadsheets and communications at a rapid rate. Yvette is passionate about entrepreneurship, entering something in which she knows nothing about and seeing an idea taken to fruition. Baptism by fire. Yvette was yearning to combine her business and artistic sides.

After spending a few years in San Francisco she relocated to San Antonio where she landed a job with Artpace, a contemporary art foundation as a personal assistant to the founder. She couldn’t have asked for a more immersive introduction to contemporary art and all it encompasses. After spending some time in this experience she began a position with friend and furniture designer, Peter Glassford where she had the fantastic opportunity to catalog, art direct, write copy and brand the company taking it to an entirely different level. Shooting 5 collections with photographer Todd Johnson and 90 pieces of furniture, she finally had the opportunity to combine both of her strengths.

Her interest these days lies in growing and strengthening SMART. Seeing first hand how the arts positively impact children, families and communities and sharing that passion with others is what motivates her and her husband to keep building their nonprofit.

Her inspiration comes from her son Agusto and husband Andy and those close to her that are no longer here.