There are approximately 200 people missing in Las Cruces-local artists of every kind, missing from a unified art scene the city is lacking.
The Talking Stick Institute (TSI), made up of professors and students of NMSU Management 448 and 548 classes, want to revitalize the Las Cruces art scene.
"We need a comprehensive census of the artists, events, galleries, museums, theaters, poetry, music and sculpture scenes so that the effect of the economic activity can be multiplied," TSI coordinator and NMSU professor David Boje said.
Monday will be the second gathering of the institute to discuss how to make the changes happen.
There is not government funding for a local art community in Las Cruces. There is no city commission for the arts, and the state commission representative remains unconnected to Las Cruces artists, Boje said.
"We are very close and we can do this with a little bit of leadership from the city and from the members of the arts scene," Boje said. "We just need to upgrade the web-based image, the brochure image, and see the Visitor's Bureau and the Mayor's Office and the Chamber [of Commerce] start promoting the arts scene as a major center of economic development, as a major tourist draw, as a major identity for families who want more than 'Wal-Mart' art in their family life."
Incoming Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagashima, representatives from the Visitors Bureau and commissioners of the proposed NMSU Center for the Arts have been invited to attend the Monday meeting, but none have confirmed an intent to attend.
One of the biggest issues TSI faces is obtaining the money to carry out its goals. Boje said any money received, which could potentially go to artists, is being allocated to a fee for lodgers in the Visitors Bureau.
There could be a construction allocation for $50,000 to purchase local art and to promote local arts scene, Boje said.
TSI members believe supporting local arts is a great way to positively affect the economy of Las Cruces.
"The funding of the economic development of the Las Cruces Arts Scene would follow success paths of other small city arts scenes, until we break into the top 25," Boje said.
TSI wants to see Las Cruces represented in the top 25 art districts in the nation for cities of its size, which is something Boje said will not happen without the support of the city and the artists working together.
The TSI is put together each semester by students and faculty, with a different focus each time. Boje wants to keep the focus on the arts in Las Cruces this year. All students are welcome to attend the meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the Otero Room in Corbett Center.
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