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Art

Ranked top 10 in “Top 25 Big Cities for Art” by AmericanStyle magazine, Albuquerque has an abundance of art and culture to offer anyone seeking traditional or contemporary art. The arts in Albuquerque are locally supported and world-renowned. With top-rated arts markets Santa Fe and Taos nearby, Albuquerque is part of a dynamic blend of art and culture.

In addition to silver and turquoise jewelry, traditional pottery, Spanish colonial embroidery, tinwork and other unique works, you’ll find exciting, provocative, contemporary works in a variety of art styles and expressions. Albuquerque is home to more than 100 galleries and studios offering a variety of art styles and expressions from traditional Southwestern and Native American to contemporary. Local galleries host a monthly gallery tour called ArtsCrawl, a community event for novices and seasoned collectors as well as a wide variety of other art events. Galleries are scattered throughout the city with concentrated arts areas in Old Town, Nob Hill and Downtown. 

Public Art Program 

Also known as “1% for the Arts,” this program is responsible for the creation and establishment of more than 750 pieces of art celebrating Albuquerque’s cultural and artistic roots. Known for being of the country’s oldest, Albuquerque’s Public Art Program has created murals, statues, paintings and even decorative bus stops all over town, at the airport, Old Town, the University, and along Route 66. One percent of the general obligation bonds issued, state grants and private donations help fund the program. (505) 768-3833 www.cabq.gov/publicart 

Performing Arts 

Albuquerque’s thriving performing arts community features the National Institute of Flamenco, the Albuquerque Little Theatre, Musical Theatre Southwest, Keshet Dance Company and Tricklock Performance Company as well as numerous other independent theatre companies. Performances are regularly scheduled in the University of New Mexico’s Popejoy Hall, the historic KiMo Theatre in downtown Albuquerque, Albuquerque Little Theater, and a variety of smaller theater spaces. The Isleta Amphitheater, an outdoor arena accommodating 12,000, regularly hosts popular performing artists from around the world. The Roy E. Disney Center for Performing Arts at the national Hispanic Cultural Center is Albuquerque’s newest theater, with a world-class stage for theatre, music, dance, media arts and education. Many casinos surrounding Albuquerque also boast large performance spaces and regular shows by touring artists. 

KiMo Theatre 

The KiMo Theatre reopened to the public in September 2000 after undergoing a renovation to restore its original splendor that once earned it the title of “America’s foremost Indian Theater.” Built in 1927 in Pueblo Deco, a short-lived architectural style that fused the spirit of the Indian cultures of the Southwest with the exuberance of America during the roaring 20s, the KiMo Theatre offers a remarkable setting for performances and film showings.  Business office (505) 768-3522, Ticket office (505) 768-3544www.cabq.gov/kimo 

Albuquerque Museum of Art & History 

The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History is located in the heart of historic Old Town. This ever-transforming gallery highlights art of the Southwest together with 400 years of history of Albuquerque and the Rio Grande Valley through permanent displays and traveling exhibitions. The museum has had exhibits ranging from exploring Tiffany lamps to etchings by Spanish artists. (505) 243- 7255www.cabq.gov/museum 

516 Arts 

516 ARTS is an independent, non-profit arts venue located downtown. The two-story gallery is a unique, hybrid artspace positioned somewhere between a gallery and museum. Exhibitions feature high caliber, content-driven work through a series of collaborations by local, national and international artists working in all media including film. (505) 242-1445 www.516arts.org 

University Art Museum 

Home to New Mexico’s largest collection of fine art objects (approximately 30,000 works), this facility oversees four galleries on the University of New Mexico campus. About 10,000 photographs from 1840 to the present; 14,000 prints, including the Tamarind Lithography Archive; Spanish Colonial and Hispanic art from Europe and the Americas; American 19th and 20th century modernism; the Raymond Jonson Collection, key works from the Transcendental Painting Group and 16th-19th century European painting comprise the permanent collection. Its changing roster of exhibitions and robust offering of public programs are FREE and open to the public. (505) 277-4001 http://unmartmuseum.org/ 

Annual Arts Events 

(This is only a sampling of art-related annual events; please visit www.visitalbuquerque.org/events for a complete calendar) 

• Revolutions international Theatre Festival, January 

• Women & Creativity Celebration, March 

• American Indian Week “Pueblo Days” & Spring Indian Art Market, April 

• Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque, June 

• Albuquerque Folk Festival, June 

• New Mexico Arts & Crafts Fair, June 

• Albuquerque Film & Media Experience, June 

• Mariachi Spectacular, July 

• New Mexico State Fair, September 

• ¡Globalquerque!, September 

• Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festival, October 

• Fall Indian Art Market, October 

• Weems international Artfest, November 

• Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festival Holiday Show, November 

For additional information about discovering the art of Albuquerque, please visit www. visitalbuquerque.org/albuquerque/arts.