MARIO PICAYO is a cultural activist, audiovisual artist and producer. He has worked for the Smithsonian Institution, the Dominican Republic's Institute of Folklore and other cultural institutions in the United States and the Caribbean. As a photographer, Mario Picayo’ solo exhibitions have been presented in New York, Spain, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Cuba, and the Virgin Islands.

In the past he has worked as editor for Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street). He currently divides his time between duties as Editor in Chief of Editorial Campana, an independent publishing house, as Producer of Gente y cultura, the award winning public television program, and as Executive Director of LART (Latino Artist Round Table), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1999.

The New York State Assembly made public recognition to his artistic career and his work as defender and promoter of Latino culture in 2004.