Stories of Creative Connection

New Mexico Arts, the state arts agency of New Mexico, operates within the Department of Cultural Affairs, one of the largest cultural departments in the U.S. With a mission to bring art into the lives of all New Mexicans, the organization oversees the Art in Public Places (AIPP) program, and aims to enrich all 33 counties with public art. To support this mission, New Mexico Arts usesCaFÉ to administer public art opportunities for artists in its state, with over 80 public art opportunities since 2008.

Founded in 1986, the d’Art Center is a vibrant arts hub in the NEON Arts District at the Atlantic Permanent Building in Norfolk, VA. In addition to resident artist studios and multiple activity rooms, the facility features three galleries. The Main Gallery and Vault have monthly, rotating exhibitions with new and nationally curated exhibitions, and the Artist Wing displays frequently updated work from community artists. The d’Art Center’s mission is to connect the community and artists and foster an appreciation for visual art through interactive opportunities to watch, create, learn, and enjoy diverse artistic works.

Shoebox Arts emerged a decade ago to assist artists in marketing their exhibitions and artwork. Over time, it expanded its horizons beyond Los Angeles, offering additional resources, education, mentorship, and public relations support to artists internationally. Later, Shoebox Projects was added as an alternative art space at the Brewery Arts Complex near downtown LA that hosts residencies, exhibitions, and more.

The Galesburg Community Arts Center is a small but influential arts organization serving a four to five-county region in rural west-central Illinois. Founded in 1923 as the Galesburg Civic Art League (later changing its public name to the Galesburg Community Arts Center), the center connects its community to the arts through exhibitions, community events, and an artist residency program, among other art-making programs.

The Paseo Project is a nonprofit arts organization located in Taos, New Mexico. Made up of a small team of four, it’s brought art to the streets since 2014 through the annual PASEO festival, Artist in Residence program, and community-based public art projects.