State aims to keep artists close

Artists of New Mexico, rejoice. A new law aimed at diversifying the state's economy will provide $65 million in public funding to help creative individuals make a living at their craft.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 14 signed House Bill 8 into law, establishing the Creative Industries Division within the existing Economic Development Department, said House Majority Whip Reena Szczepanski, a leading sponsor of the bill.

The bill's intent is to ultimately allow New Mexican creatives to expand their practice in the state rather than moving to other cities that might be more supportive of creative industries.

Szczepanski said the new agency's primary goal is to support New Mexicans in their art, whether sculpting, woodworking, architecture, or coding.

The agency would support shared infrastructure like maker spaces and housing for creative practices, professionals, and investments in those businesses to expand.

It will also provide workforce development so that a pipeline of people is ready to work in some of the larger creative industries, Szczepanski said.

And it will support community resources like gallery space and manufacturing facilities with 3d printers and other costly tools that artists can use to provide a living for themselves and their families.

"We had a foundry in Santa Fe that was used by metal artists all over the region," Szczepanski told Gwyneth Doland on New Mexico In Focus.

"That recently closed over the last couple of years. All of that businesses is now going to Colorado because there are several foundries in Colorado. That's a kind of public-private partnership that we could have, where we could bring in some state dollars to really make something like that stay afloat for the first few years so that our local artists could then utilize that and not have to drive their wares to Colorado."

Szczepanski said the number of individual artists in New Mexico is second to none in the country.

"So why not capitalize on all of these natural talents that we already have, and help people grow so that they're not doing their art at night?" she said.

"I met an Indian market first-prize winner a couple of months ago, and he has a day job. He has a day job, and that day job pays his bills. It provides benefits for his family. And he's a nationally renowned artist. Can't we invest now so that someone like him can turn that art into a full-time job that really provides that living for his family?" she told Doland.

The bill defines "creative industry" as a business, organization, or person engaged in creative enterprises, including performing, visual and literary arts; entertainment, media, information, and broadcasting; applied arts and design, including architecture, landscape architecture, museum, and gallery professions; promotion, marketing, graphics, and industrial design; technology and computer system design, software design, coding, and digital media; and crafts and artisan professions, including metal, wood, glass, ceramics, paper, printing, textile, and culinary arts.

The bill requires that at least 50% of the funding go to rural and underserved communities.

"This industry is already contributing $5.6 billion to New Mexico's economy. But we are looking for solutions to further diversify our economy and prepare for that day when oil and gas revenue is not as significant as it is now in our state's budget," Szczepanski said.

She said the state's heart and soul need to be front and center, which is the creative economy.

"It's everything from infrastructure to individual assistance for businesses, training of entrepreneurs, and everything in between," she said.

Szczepansk said $65 million would be appropriated from the general fund, which includes personal income tax, gross receipt tax, severance tax, and corporate tax. The money will finance the creative industries fund for 2024 and subsequent fiscal years. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year will go back to the general fund.

The appropriation is non-recurring, but sponsors said they hope it can become annual.

She said the agency will make a competitive request for proposals for projects. A committee will then review and rank all of those proposals.

She said when they release that proposal request, they will have a grid showing the scoring system so communities that apply will know how they are being judged.

Szczepanski said it is to be determined who will sit on that committee but is sure it'll be several Economic Development Department staff and that there's a lot of overlap with Mainstreet, another program in economic development, and that some Mainstreet staff will most likely help with that process.

The creative industries division will also work with the department, the cultural affairs department, the Indian affairs department, the higher education department, the public education department, the tourism department, and the workforce solutions department to support the division's duties as they relate to the purposes of the respective departments.

Patsy Delk, an art educator and mural artist in Clovis, said this grant would greatly benefit people in this area, particularly the youth.

"If we can help our kids and other artists come together and help our city shine -- that's what it's all about with me," Delk said.

"Being an educator, an art educator, I like getting kids involved in the community so they can have a part in something," she said.

"Just to pull something out of them that they can say, you know, I was a part of this."

Grant applications are not yet being accepted. Those interested can watch the Economic Development Department's website for details when they are announced.