prospectus: new mexico purchase initiative
The Art in Public Places Program enriches New Mexico's public spaces through an innovative and diverse public art collection. Since its inception in 1986, the program has placed more than 2,500 works of art in all of New Mexico's 33 counties. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of the arts in New Mexico, the Southwest, and nation while building a dynamic public art collection for the State of New Mexico.
Through a fair and open public process, local and regional selection committees work with New Mexico Arts to select artwork for their communities. The Art in Public Places Program also commissions large-scale projects that are designed for integration directly into the architecture of a building, or purchases existing original artworks to be placed in public buildings.
PROJECT TIMELINE
- October 2025 – Notification of finalists
- October 2025 – December 2027 – Notification of purchases (if applicable, not guaranteed)
- Ongoing basis -- Notification of purchases to artists and artwork installation
SITE INFORMATION
Artwork will be purchased for publicly accessible buildings throughout the State of New Mexico. The facilities encompass a broad range of uses including, but not limited: amphitheaters, animal shelters, community centers, courthouses, educational institutions, fire stations, healthcare facilities, recreation complexes, rest areas, senior centers, etc. Participating sites will have a total budget equal to 1% of recent eligible capital outlay for new construction or major renovation projects.