Releases | New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

New Mexico Museum of Art Opens the Door to the Community

September 11th, 2019

(Santa Fe, New Mexico) – Join the New Mexico Museum of Art as it opens the doors of the future site of Vladem Contemporary to the community in two public events. The Community Open House on September 21, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will feature fun, interactive art activities led by local artists and highlight the future capacity of the New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary to educate and enrich the youth of Santa Fe. The Railyard Art Walk Open House on September 27, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. will offer an opportunity for the public to speak with the architects and curators involved in this project. Both events are free and will allow the community access to explore this extraordinary addition to Santa Fe and the State of New Mexico’s museum system.

Community Open House

404 Montezuma Ave. (at the corner of Guadalupe)

Saturday, September 21, 2019

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Enjoy fun, interactive art activities led by local artists, while exploring the future site of the New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary located at the corner of Guadalupe and Montezuma. Free and fun for all ages, with light refreshments provided. Children must be chaperoned by adult.

Railyard Art Walk Open House

404 Montezuma Ave. (at the corner of Guadalupe)

Friday, September 27, 2019

5 to 7 p.m.

New Mexico Museum of Art opens the doors of its new space to the community during the Last Friday Art Walk at the Railyard on September 27th. Explore the future site of the Museum’s contemporary art annex located at the corner of Guadalupe and Montezuma. Talk with the architects and museum curators about the plans for this extraordinary addition to Santa Fe’s art scene. 

About the New Mexico Museum of Art and Vladem Contemporary:

Founded in 1917 as the Art Gallery of the Museum of New Mexico, the New Mexico Museum of Art has been presenting innovative arts programming in downtown Santa Fe for more than a century.  At its founding, the museum collected and exhibited artworks by noted artists from New Mexico and elsewhere. This tradition continues today with a wide array of exhibitions and a significant collection featuring work from the world’s leading artists. Today, as at its founding, the Museum of Art strives to bring the art of New Mexico to the world and the art of the world to New Mexico. Museum exhibitions and programs are supported by donors to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its Director’s Leadership Fund and Exhibitions Development Fund.

As a result of the Centennial Campaign, the museum will operate at a level in line with standards expected of top art institutions today. Re-positioned and strengthened, the Museum of Art will stage broader, more comprehensive exhibitions, elevating its reputation and visibility to a national and international level. Other improvements include amenities for artists in residence, bolder education and outreach programs, and lively public spaces. The museum will also continue building its collection of historic and contemporary art. The Vladem Contemporary, slated to open in 2021, will feature contemporary exhibitions and expand the Museum’s capacity as a second location within a single, high-functioning institution.

The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is New Mexico’s cultural steward and is charged with preserving and showcasing the state’s cultural riches. With its eight museums, eight historic sites, arts, archaeology, historic preservation and library programs, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is one of the largest and most diverse state cultural agencies in the nation. Together, the facilities, programs and services of the Department support a $5.6 billion cultural industry in New Mexico.

Events, news releases, and images about activities at the New Mexico Museum of Art and other divisions of the Department of Cultural Affairs can be accessed at media.newmexicoculture.org.

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