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2008 Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley

Arts Convention

Why: To sell more art by raising the value of local artists through increasing the revenue and recognition received for their work which will make the Valley known for its arts and culture

Who: For Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley artists, arts organizations, gallery owners, City, Chamber, and Education people who want to make this an arts destination.

When: 3 days: 8, 15 & 22 Sept 4 to 8 PM

Where: Corbett Center of New Mexico State University (Dona Ana Room on 8th & 22nd; Otero Room on 15th)

What: Provide an process and open space to form task forces to develop their own goals, roles, and action plans on how to market Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts and Culture.

Organizers: Talking Stick Institute and students and faculty of Small Business and Entrepreneurship in Business College

More info: http:talkingstick.info

We have invited the Mayors of Mesilla and Las Cruces, Council Members, City Manager, State Representatives, NM Department of Cultural Affairs, Arts Educators, and 200 local artists, Arts media, and members and leaders of 35 galleries, 6 museums, and over 77 arts service organizations to come together for an Arts Convention.

Talking Stick is our symbol for the importance of listening to one another. Ours is decorated to show are respect of Native American spirituality, and a respect for telling and listening. The person telling holds the Talking Stick. Is someone wants to respond, the teller passes the stick.

People have started to talk about the groundswell of interest for artists, educators, government, and commerce to get together. We are piggybacking on the outstanding efforts of over 77 arts service organizations, 35 galleries, 6 museums, and over 250 artists to make Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley known as an Art Scene. Our mission is simple: to sell more art by making our artists known throughout the world, so that art buyers flock here and buy.

The Arts Convention is a monumental historical event to celebrate the transition of Las Cruces and Mesilla from agricultural communities to Creative Cities, full of Creative Economy. For once history is not in the past. History is happening right here and now. You can be part of history in the making. You can participate, have your voice heard, and make a difference in how arts history unfolds.

The Arts Convention organizers believe its time to recognize the fabulous artists, galleries, museums, and events of Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley on a national and international scale. It is time to make the Valley known as the place in Southern New Mexico where there is art and culture. 

Task forces will form around common interests and develop their own goals and agendas. The three days in Sept provides an open space for the task forces to form, get input, and develop ideas that will put Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley on the map for art buyers.

The first meeting on Sep 8th will kick off the Arts Convention with Ed Breeding’s documentary film (26 minutes) “Heart of the Arts: Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. This is followed by Talking Stick Circle meetings where participants pass the Talking Stick to develop three goals for the Arts Convention.

“Heart of the Arts” showcases some magnificent and diverse artists’ works in the greater Las Cruces, New Mexico area.  After viewing the film you may better understand why Las Cruces and Mesilla Valley are the Heart of the Arts in the Land of Enchantment.

The second meeting on Sep 15th the Arts Convention participants will hear a welcome from the Mayor Michael Cadena of Mesilla and from New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. This is followed by task force Talking Circle time to develop several goals for each task force to accomplish.

The third meeting on Sep 22ndincludes a welcome by Dean Carruthers of the Business College. This is followed by task forces meeting in Talking Circles to develop action plans to implement their goals. At the conclusion of the Arts Convention, task force spokespersons will report out on their action plans.

New Mexico has several major arts scenes, with 3 cities in the top 25 arts destinations in America according to American Style Magazine: Albuquerque is #7 in top 25 big cities; Santa Fe is #1 and Taos #5 in the Smallest 25 cities category. When Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" is recognized by the State of New Mexico - Department of Cultural Affairs for the outstanding Arts Destination it has become, then Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" has a good chance of making the list. All we have to do is show the world that we have more galleries, artist, and arts service organizations than Portsmouth (#25 on the Small Cities - under 100,000 in population. Portsmouth has 6 galleries - Las Cruces has 44 galleries and museums. There are differences: ART-SPEAK IS THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH'S CULTURAL COMMISSION. Currently Las Cruces does not have an Arts & Culture Commission. We propose the Arts Alliance as a viable option to the Commission model. We aim for Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" to become one of the Top 25 Small City arts destinations.

Table Adapted for American Style Magazine -- It is time for Las Cruces, New Mexico to make this listing. We have the location. We have the galleries and artists. All we lack is the marketing.

In 2007, Silver City and Las Vegas were designated New Mexico’s first Arts and Culture Districts as part of Governor Bill Richardson’s Arts and Culture Districts Initiative (see press release Jan 24 2007):

"Also announced during the ceremony were the New Mexico Main Street Program’s new Start-Up communities of Deming and Lovington, as well as three Start Up communities that have graduated to full Main Street affiliation: Clayton, Las Vegas and Raton. ... The first two pilot districts are the result of the Governor’s inter-agency initiatives to develop place-based economic development in New Mexico’s communities. Five applicant communities participated: Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Portales, Raton and Silver City."

Las Cruces, Portales and Raton were not selected in 2007. Clearly, Las Cruces needs to do all it can to become designated Arts and Culture District of the State of New Mexico. Since Las Cruces is over 50,000 in population, according to the legislation, it can self-designate itself as an Arts & Cut lure District, then apply for formal recognition.

BACKGROUND INFO

Talking Stick Institute is an incubator for ideas, which we then pass along to the most appropriate organization in the community to make them happen. We incubate until we can pass on the idea or until we find an entrepreneur to champion it. Here is a status report.

In Phase I - Talking Stick Institute worked for from August 2007 to May 2008 to inventory the Las Cruces and Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" to incubate a number of ideas suggested at the Oct 10 and Nov 12th 2007 Talking Stick Circle Meetings that involved stimulating the 75 local arts service organizations to work together to market our Arts & Culture Scene".

One idea suggested was a greater more unified web presence. (see above web sites marketing galleries, museums, artists, and arts service organizations); met with the Mayor, several City Councilors, made presentations to City Council (April 21 2008) and to Doña Ana Arts Council (Heather Pollard), Cindi Lopez of Downtown Main Street, College of Business Dean Garrey Caruthers & Associate Dean Kevin Boberg, Irene Oliver-Lewis of Alma D Arte Charter High School, and meetings with local artists and gallery owners. A report was issued (PDF version) asking the City to intimate a Las Cruces Arts & Cultural Affairs Commission, develop more comprehensive one-stop web site for buyers, and support an Arts Co-Op enterprise. We found that Doña Ana Arts Council can carry out the task of organizing the 75 local arts service organizations to advise the Mayor and City on arts and culture (they are renewing their MOU on May 19 2008 with the City).

We are moving along to Phase II.

In Phase II - Talking Stick Institute will work on the economic development and marketing aspects of creating a nationally recognized Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"".

According to a recent New Mexico Depratment of Cultural Affairs report: “Throughout the Land of Enchantment, research shows that cultural activities are an economically sound investment…As an industry, cultural activities in New Mexico generated more than $2.8 billion in direct economic impact in 2005, including a $1.3 billion in industry spending outside tourism, and $1.5 billion in spendingby cultural tourists.” [1] According to Vision 2040 report, "Properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places include 11 within the City of Las Cruces and 13 within Doña Ana County ... several are categorized as historic districts including Alameda-Depot Historic District and Mesquite Street Original Townsite Historic District in Las Cruces and Doña Ana Village Historic District, Elephant Butte Irrigation District and La Mesilla Historic District in Doña Ana County." [2] There are 15 Historic places in Las Cruces listed in the National Register of Historic Places presented in the next table. [3]

15 Las Cruces Historic Places

Las Cruces' nickname is 'Cultural Crossroads.' Las Cruces (86,268 population as of 2006) is the second largest city in New Mexico and the historic crossroads for Native Americans, Spanish explorers, and Anglo frontiersmen. According to the Vision 2040 predictions, population of the City of Las Cruces (& Doña Ana County) will expand by 40% by 2040 [4, p. 1, 2]. Las Cruces is 53.1% Hispanic, 41.8% White, 1.5% Native American, & 1.3% African American (with Other accounting for 2.4%) (4 p. 5).

The Town of Mesilla, with a population just over 2201 is not expected t to grow. "The median housing value in Mesilla is $132,800." (6 2004 Mesilla Plan, p. 60). "Within Mesilla, there is only the plaza which provides for a local employment center, which is due in part to the lack of industrial zoned land within the community" (6 p. 71). "Today, due to its proximity to the United States and Mexico border, Mesilla finds itself at a prime location for absorbing tourism dollars as well as new residents to the area" (6 p. 76).

Arts and Culture is a blossoming Cauldron in of Creativity in Las Cruces and Mesilla Valley . In the 1950s Las Cruces and Mesilla were sleepy agricultural communities. The City and Town are waking up to a new post-agricultural economy, something called the Creative Economy Florida, 2004; Howkins, 2002). Las Cruces has just begun to host and market the Annual Pow Wow, turn the historic Amador Hotel into a Museum, just finished the major renovation of the Rio Grande Theatre, and is turning its downtown Main Street into an Arts and Culture Corridor. With six museums, an opera company, several performing theatre companies, orchestra, choirs, film society, 35 galleries, and over 75 arts services organizations, Las Cruces, Mesilla, and the Mesquite districts constitute a major arts and culture scene. There is an unexplored vibrant transfer of arts and crafts styles from Mexico to Las Cruces (both in art imports & the styles of art Las Cruces artists develop). What is possible is for Las Cruces to become a 'Creative City' that attracts the Creative Class. Landry (2000: p. 1) argues that the more successful creative cities have highly creative organizations, and governments with a clarity of purpose. The Creative City moves its arts and culture heritage center stage (p. 5). In the Creative City is an "undiscovered story" of its creative potential and artistic heritage (p. 7). This transition from agricultural to Creative City is what is taking place here and now.

The Economics of Arts and Culture. Thorsby (2001: p. 46) defined cutlural capital in two aspects. First thre is tangible cultural capital such as historic buildings, painting, scuplture, and folk crafts. Second there is intangible cultural capital, such as intellectual property,the ideas, practices, values, and beliefs of a group of people. Buth types of cultural capital give rise to service organziations. This is precisely what has been emerging in the LLas Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" As more cultural goods and services are produced, jobs are added, the City and County's tax revenue base grows, and there is increased employment. Las Cruces and Mesilla are emerging as significant Creative Industries. The problem is that Las Cruceans have retained the agricultural economics mindset, and the planning models of focusing on industrial economics (trying to attract large manufacturers to the area by offering cheap housing, cheap goods, and cheap univeristy tuitioin). The problem is 'cheap' is not what builds cutlural capital or creative industries.

Creative Industries. Hartey (2005" 2) suggests that Creative Industries of a city attract artists, professors, scientists, and musicians. Creative Cities writes Jinna Tay (p. 220, in Hartey) says they "are spaces you want to be in, places to be seen." There are three historic preservation areas that can be drawn into a clarity of artistic purpose: Las Cruces Downtown (including Rio Grande theater & Amador Hotel), Mesilla Plaza, and Mesquite Historic District Neighborhood. These three areas are the heart of a creative economy. According to Howkins (2002), in the U.S., core copyright industries achieved foreign sales and exports of $60.18 billion-a figure that surpasses, for the first time, every other export sector, including automobiles, agriculture, and aircraft. Florida (2004) defines the 'creative class' as 38 million people (or 30% of U.S. workforce) who create new ideas, new technology, and new creative content. The Creative Class expects an active arts and music scene, including 'edgy arts events' and a vibrant street life as reasons to move to a city (Florida, 2004: p. 224, 231-2). This includes artists, designers, educators, engineers, entertainers, scientists, and writers (Florida, p 8, 74). Florida (2004) argues that it is time for the Creative Class to evolve from individualism to being ethically answerable for the common good. In another book, Florida (2006 p.1) suggests that Creative Cities are "cauldrons of creativity." In his most recent book, Florida (2008: 278), includes Las Cruces is one of the retirement destinations:. "... Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina, and Las Cruces, New Mexico ... register as leading destinations" However Florida says that a city must be more than a retirement destination if it wants to be a creative economy for the creative class, According to AARP's (2003) list of 'best places to reinvent one's life" its culture and entertainment options and proximity to a major university that are among key factors, for cities like Loveland (CO), Bellingham & Spokane (WN), Raleigh & Asheville (NC) Sarasota & Gainesville (FL), Fayetteville (AR), and Santa Fe (NM), etc (Florida, 2008: 278).

Our intent is to incubate ideas that support arts and culture-based economic development for Las Cruces businesses, individuals, organizations, agencies and institutions to work collaboratively and to formally structure that collaboration creating an economic market niche (This is consistent with House Bill 440).

Las Cruces and Mesilla utilize a Lodger's Tax collected by hotels in conformance with New Mexico State Statutes (Sections 3-38-13 to 3-38-24 of New Mexico State). Provisions include:

1. Acquisition, operation and other uses relating to tourist-related facilities, attractions or transportation systems
2. Advertising, promoting and publicizing tourist-related facilities, events and attractions

The Town of Mesilla uses its portion of the Lodgers’ Tax to purchase brochures and invest in advertisements in Visitor’s Guides to promote Mesilla as a tourist destination (6 p. 77). Las Cruces, on the other hand, uses the Lodger's Tax to market its plans for a Convention Center. Talking stick Institute has been working since August 2007 to encourage that some portion of Las Cruces's portion of the Lodger's Tax promote Las Cruces as an 'Arts & Culture' tourist destination. The Town of Mesilla is focused on promoting its Arts & Culture: "Around the plaza are many small businesses
with local artisans selling their products. Marketing Mesilla as an artist community may increase tourism by expanding audience" (6 p. 80) And (p. 81) "Promote the area’s history and culture by continuing to allow use of the Plaza for fiestas, music, and festivals that appeal to tourists as well as locals."

Talking Stick Institute wants to incubate the idea of developing more high-end art to Las Cruces, Mesilla & Mesquite districts. The 1999 Las Cruces economic development plan concludes that Las Cruces does not have a strong manufacturing base and the largest employers are White Sands Missile Range, NASA, New Mexico State University and local City & County government. [5, p. 5-5]. Between 1991 and 1995 City of Las Cruces collect $64,000,000 in gross receipts taxes from the retail trade industry, where as construction industry only produced $6,000,000. [5, p. 5-11]. The 1999 City plan includes a goal of co-operative use of City buildings. [5, p. 5-14]. One of the ideas Talking Stick Institute is incubating is to an Arts Co-op, modeled along the lines of Torpedo Art Factory.

We believe it is possible to lure more art buyers to Las Cruces, distribute more art out of Las Cruces, and import more high-end art from Mexico for sale in Las Cruces. Each of the goals is supported by more detailed objectives.

• GOAL 1: Lure Arts Buyers to Las Cruces Region of New Mexico

  • Objective 1: We need to raise the value of local artists through increasing the revenue and recognition received for their work Pracitcal steps include anincrease in web-presence with a online unified arts & culture calendar, artist registry, gallery & museum locator, & arts service organization directory maintained by the City called "Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" and Market Las Cruces Arts & Culture Scene events daily press releases to media outlets (Bulletin; Inc; El Paso Scene online; Sun-News & New Mexico Departments of Cultural Affairs & Tourism events calendars); tours of buyers to Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"with chauffeured van, bed & breakfast, and gallery/museum tour packages included; and develop a history of Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"suitable for buyers
  • Objective 2 : Develop an Arts Co-Op in the Downtown Area (initiative in progress by Larry Thoma & Trina Dunbar) - This is benchmarked to Torpedo Art Factory model, where the Arts Co-Op puts on daily arts demonstrations, shows, and tours. Idea is to have an additional 60,000 arts and culture out-of-town visitors to Las Cruces each year, of which the average buyer spends $500 on arts, culture, rooms and meals.

• GOAL 2: Distribute Art Out of Las Cruces to other parts of the State and Nation

  • Objective 1 : Work with ArtForms to organize the 34 local galleries, 6 museums showing local artists art; work with 250 local artists to market artists' (literary, visual, & performance) works to art buyers beyond Las Cruces; develop Las Cruces & Mexilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" identity for quilting, ceramics, and other crafts so as to increase distribution to art buyers beyond Las Cruces. Potential to negotiate access by participating Las Cruces artists and craftspeople to sell their creations on the Museum of New Mexico Foundation’s e-commerce site www.NewMexicoCreates.org (this is in the idea phase).
  • Objective 2 : Work with local media (Bulletin, Inc, & Sun-News) to increase the press releases sent out of Las Cruces about galleries, and about artists in the Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"whose work is selling beyond Las Cruces. Initiate 12 Task Forces by holding three convention meetings in September 2008.

• GOAL 3: Import High-End Art from Mexico to Las Cruces

  • Objective 1: Market Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" as a destination for high-end Mexico art works. Las Cruces annual Mexican Day of the Dead festival markets artistic production that ranges from ceramics to paper mâché sculptures.
  • Objective 2 Work with 34 local galleries, and 6 area museums to inventory and display high-end Mexico art works crafted by indigenous culture of Mexico. Focus on Folk art, textiles, pottery, clothing, santos, & retablos (Note: New Mexico State University has one of the most extensive retablos collections in America).

The goals market artist is, galleries, museum exhibits, and culture events that increase the buying, distribution, and selling of Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"". This serves to enhance arts tourism and the arts economy of Las Cruces and builds the worth of the Southern New Mexico Arts Economy.

Mission: Market Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene" as an arts and culture destination.

Vision: To make Las Cruces & Mesilla Valley Arts & Culture Scene"one of the top 25 arts and culture destination small cities in America (under 100,000 in population).

Create and send our calendar of events daily to New Mexico magazine and Southwest Art for publication, build alliances with AAA and 7 other travel agencies by year end, get Las Cruces named as Best Art Destination by 2009, etc.

1% for the Arts in Public Places in New Mexico

ARTSpeak is a quarterly newsletter also available online at www.nmarts.org There is information about current public art prospectuses Art in Public Places section http://www.nmarts.org/prospectus.html
In Las Cruces, There are 5 new city, state, federal buildings in the master plan (see purple on the map): http://www.lascrucesdowntown.org/master%20plan%20map.htm --- for Las Cruces Downtown Main Street. We want Las Cruces artists to be considered for these commissions.

References & Footnotes

• Beckett, Patrick H. 1993. Las Cruces, New Mexico 1881: As Seen By Her Newspapers. COAS Publishing and Research.

• Caves, Richard E. 2002. Creative Industries: Contracts between Art and Commerce. Harvard University Press.

• Fisher, J. T. 2003. Las Cruces.

• Florida, Richard. 2008. Who's Your City?: How the Creative Economy Is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life. NY: Basic Books.

• Florida, Richard. 2006. Cities and the Creative Class. NY: Routledge.

• Florida, Richard. 2004. The Rise of the Creative Class. NY: Basic Books.

• Harris, Linda G. 1993. Las Cruces, An Illustrated History. Las Cruces, NM: Arroyo Press.

• Hartley, John. (ed). 2005. Creative Industries. UK/Australia: Blackwell Publishers.

• Howkins, John. 2002. The Creative Economy: How People Make Money from Ideas. Penguin Global.

• Hunner, Jon; Kord, Brian; Lachica, Cassandra; & Spence, Renee. 2003. Las Cruces (NM). Portsmouth, NH: Acadia Publishing.

• Landry, Charles. 2000. The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators. Earthscan Publications Ltd.

• MacNeish, Richard S. 1983. Preliminary Investigations of the Archaic in the Region of Las Cruces.

• Owen, Gordon. 2000. Las Cruces New Mexico, Multicultural Crossroads. Yucca Tree Press.

• Taylor, Mary Daniels (with contributions by Nora Barrick) 2004.. A Place as Wild as the West Ever Was, Mesilla, New Mexico: 1848-1872. Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University.

• Thorsby, David. 2001. Economics and Culture. UK: University of Cambridge.

1. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. On Fertile Ground, 2006 Report to the Community. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. p. 3.

2 Vision 2040 Cultural Inventories report (draft). http://vision2040.nmsu.edu/documents/draft_inventories/7_History_Culture_5-5-08.pdf

3. National Register of Historic Places http://www.nps.gov/nr/ See listing of 15 Historic Places in Las Cruces.

4. Vision 2040 Population Report. http://vision2040.nmsu.edu/documents/draft_inventories/1_Population_5-5-08.pdf

5. City of Las Cruces Comprehensive Plan for Economic Development. 1999. http://www.las-cruces.org/cd/planning-comp_plan/comp_plan-default.shtm

6. 2004 Town of Mesilla Comprehesnive Plan http://www.mesilla-nm.org/Complete%20Plan.pdf

Listing provided courtesy of Talking Stick Institute

http://talkingstick.info/

contact: dboje@peaceaware.com to update information on this listing