Supporter Spotlight: New Mexico Arts Welcomes the 136th AFS Annual Meeting

AFS is grateful for the support of New Mexico Arts and Folk Arts Program Coordinator, Amy Mills for their guidance planning and producing the 136th Annual Meeting in Albuquerque.

New Mexico is lucky to be home to a deep well of traditional creativity, which is supported and championed by the Folk Arts Program at New Mexico Arts (NMA). The folk arts apprenticeship program provides support to master traditional artists to pass on their knowledge to dedicated apprentices one-on-one, with over 250 teams funded since 1990. The Folk Arts Program also manages a project grant category specifically to fund folk and traditional arts in communities across the state. Following in the footsteps of Dana Everts-Boehm, Claude Stephenson, and Lilli Tichinin, folklorist and anthropologist Amy Mills joined NMA as the current folk arts specialist in May 2024. A native to New Mexico, she is thrilled to have returned home to support the state’s folk artists and traditional communities.

New Mexico Arts is the federally-authorized state arts agency and a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. New Mexico Arts administers the state’s 1% for Public Art program, awards grants for arts and cultural programs across the state, and provides technical assistance and educational opportunities for organizations, artists, and arts educators throughout New Mexico. Recent and current special initiatives include: the 2024 Native American & Indigenous Artist Series Purchase Initiative through the Public Art program, an artist residency at Los Luceros Historic Site, and work to connect flood-affected arts communities in southern New Mexico with disaster assistance.

Follow New Mexico Arts on Facebook and Instagram and use the conference hashtag #afsam24 as you post on socials!