Three hour meeting bundles start at $700.
Start on a new journey today.

Museletter

Sign up for our Muse-letter now!

    New Mexico at Risk: What Happens When the Arts Are Undervalued

    Entrance to Gustave Bauman’s Home and Studio on the old Santa Fe Trail, 2024. Image by Ivan Barnett

    “The arts are not a luxury. They are as fundamental to our humanity as language, love, and shelter.”
    —American Poet, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Dana Gioia

    Every week it seems, America is witnessing a sharp decline in public arts funding, a trend with profound consequences for creative communities—especially here in New Mexico. Nationally, the administration’s FY 2026 proposal seeks to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) (apnews.com, theartnewspaper.com). In early May, hundreds of arts organizations learned their NEA grants—many expected and already budgeted—were suddenly rescinded, affecting performances, exhibitions, and educational programs across the nation (southwestcontemporary.com).

    In New Mexico, the fallout has been particularly severe. The NEA pulled over $100,000 in grants awarded earlier this year, jeopardizing community festivals and regional arts programming (sourcenm.com). Simultaneously, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)—a cornerstone of Santa Fe’s Indigenous arts and education—is facing a proposal to eliminate all $13.4 million in federal funding, potentially devastating its mission and students (ksfr.org).

    Mural on Guadalupe Street, When Santa Fe was, 2023.  Image by Ivan Barnett

    These cuts are more than line items; they threaten the cultural infrastructure that supports artists, educators, venues, and nonprofits. Local organizations are now scrambling to fill gaps, relying on private donors and emergency grants. But even generous community responses cannot replicate the stability that reliable public funding provides (apnews.com).

    And here’s what must be said loud and clear: the arts are not extracurricular. They are essential. In any thriving society, the arts help us understand who we are, where we’ve been, and where we might be going. They promote empathy, cultural literacy, civic engagement, and creative problem-solving—skills we desperately need now more than ever.

    When the children were still smiling, taken on the Paseo, 2024.  Image by Ivan Barnett.

    From childhood development to elder care, the arts contribute to emotional well-being and mental health. They revitalize neighborhoods, bring life to public spaces, and generate billions in economic activity nationwide. In 2021 alone, the arts contributed over $1 trillion to the U.S. economy, supporting 4.9 million jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. And here in New Mexico, the arts and cultural sector accounted for $2.4 billion in economic output—a clear sign of its value not just artistically, but financially (nmarts.org).

    What we’re witnessing now is a slow dismantling of that foundation, often under the guise of budget cuts and fiscal discipline—but the consequences are cultural erosion and a narrowing of public imagination. Without the arts, our collective vocabulary shrinks. Our ability to dream, question, and connect begins to fade.

    I love you New Mexico, Santa Fe Rail Yard, 2025.  Image by Ivan Barnett

    New Mexico—known for its vibrant arts scene as well as Santa Fe being just deemed America’s most popular tourist destination for 2025—now stands at a critical juncture. We must ask: what are we willing to risk? If we lose this support, who will nurture the voices and visions that define our state?

    Let us be clear-eyed and brave about what comes next. If we believe that the arts shape a freer, more reflective, more human society, then the time to defend them is now.

    “Without artistry, we lose our compass—without culture, we lose our soul.”
    —Yo-Yo Ma

    © 2025, by Ivan Barnett.

    If you have any technical issues connecting with our Museletter, please contact us.

    Avatar photo
    Al Cota

    Museletter Subscription

    Sign up for our Museletter now and instantly receive a complimentary worksheet on navigating the world as a creative!