New Mexico's Creative Industries Division Launches Statewide Study to Amplify Voices of Creative Entrepreneurs
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The New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) is embarking on an extensive study of the state’s creative industries in partnership with Santa Fe-based Creative Startups, aiming to craft a comprehensive statewide plan for the new Creative Industries Division (CID). This groundbreaking initiative, spurred by the 2023 Legislature's visionary House Bill 8, is set to revolutionize the state's economic landscape by strategically supporting and developing its diverse creative enterprises.
The ongoing study is part of the EDD and CID's broader mission to support creative entrepreneurs, small businesses, and workers across the state. The Creative Industries Division aims to enhance education and workforce training initiatives, making creative livelihoods more accessible, dependable, and sustainable for more people across the state.
“Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is backing more investment in New Mexico’s creative industries because these fields will help diversify the economy and have enormous appeal to young, independent entrepreneurs. This initial landscape study will greatly assist EDD as we stand-up the Division, set priorities for the coming years, and create jobs,” said Acting Cabinet Secretary Mark Roper.
To guide the development of a five year plan for the new division, the Creative Startups team, alongside collaborators from Vital Spaces and The Poeh Cultural Center, has been traveling the state interviewing creative entrepreneurs and community leaders. Public listening sessions and interviews are integral components of the initiative, providing an inclusive platform for diverse voices within New Mexico's creative community.
Through both in-person and remote sessions, these gatherings aim to collect invaluable insights, ensure transparency, and foster collaborative engagement in shaping the CID. The success of this endeavor relies on the active participation and contributions of the creative stakeholders during these pivotal sessions. Sign up here to receive updates about upcoming community meetups and to voice their perspectives online:
“To understand how this Division can best support creative livelihoods and economic growth across New Mexico, we need to meet creatives across New Mexico,” said Mike Young, lead writer/researcher for Creative Startups. “We need to talk to creatives where they live and work, where they take risks and raise families. That’s why we’re trekking across nearly all 120,000 miles of the Land of Enchantment: from Zuni to Clovis, Raton to Lordsburg, Farmington to Las Cruces, as much of everywhere as we can. We're attempting to better understand the ingenuity and resilience that makes the state gleam.”
In the first trip last week to the Northwest region, the Creative Startups team traveled to 8 communities, hosted 10 listening sessions, and met nearly 100 proud New Mexicans: creative entrepreneurs, community organizers, dedicated leaders, and working artists. For the team’s next trip to Southern New Mexico—which will cover both the Southeast and Southwest—they are planning to visit 16 communities, host 20 sessions, and meet even more citizens passionate about the creative economy.
1 in 9 New Mexicans make at least part of their living in the creative economy, and New Mexico boasts more artists and artisans per capita than any other state. Who are these creative and cultural workers?
“They’re in galleries and museums, but they’re also in gas stations and DIY venues,” said Young. “They’re in makerspaces, food trucks, letterpress vans, historic theaters, burgeoning art studios—and in homes, where families of different cultures, languages, and lineages have been preserving, innovating, and translating cultural practices into economic and social value—from silversmithing to the fiber arts—for generations.”
Through conversations and collaborative writing exercises, the team has already collected thousands of words of insight: histories of how the creative economy has shaped this region across the centuries, visions of what could be next. From blue skies to blue doors, the creative economy is the heart and soul of New Mexico—and the Creative Industries Division’s efforts aim to bolster its growth and resilience.
We need to talk to creatives where they live and work, where they take risks and raise families. That’s why we’re trekking across nearly all 120,000 miles of the Land of Enchantment… attempting to better understand the ingenuity and resilience that makes the state gleam.
The EDD's study aligns with national trends that highlight the economic potential of the creative sector. In 2021, the US creative economy added $1.016 trillion to national GDP, and projections indicate significant growth in creative sectors by 2030. With automation and AI transforming traditional industries, the creative economy emerges as a cornerstone of future economic growth.
Currently, the EDD has proposed a recurring budget of $750,000 to build ongoing CID programs and staffing. The New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee has instead recommended a recurring budget of $346,100, which is 0.003% of the total state budget and will likely only cover staffing and grants.
Interested New Mexico creatives are encouraged to sign up to voice their perspective, keep up to date with events, and get involved. By joining the list, creatives will continue to play a significant role in shaping the future of the Creative Industries Division, receiving relevant information and opportunities for further contribution. Don't miss out on staying connected and actively participating—sign up now to ensure your voice continues to be a driving force in this transformative initiative.
For more information on the ongoing development of the statewide plan and other transformative initiatives, please visit https://bit.ly/SSNMCID.
About the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD):
The mission of the New Mexico Economic Development Department is to improve the lives of New Mexico families by increasing economic opportunities and providing a place for businesses to thrive.
Our programs and initiatives support our mission. The New Mexico Partnership is a statutorily-created public-private organization under contract to the department to market the state globally in order to attract new jobs and investment. Department programs provide direct assistance to New Mexico businesses and communities. Programs and services for businesses can be found in the Business Resource Center. EDD also administers several programs that support community development.
About Creative Startups
Creative Startups based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has a proven track record developing economic strategies and programs leading to measurable economic growth in the creative industries. At the forefront of the creative economy for 15 years, Creative Startups develops strategic plans for regional governments, supplies in-depth economic analyses of assets and market opportunities, supports cultural and tribal institutions, and develops and delivers innovative programs for creative entrepreneurs and artists. Through their work across New Mexico, the USA, and the world, Creative Startups has developed a comprehensive understanding of the technologies and trends driving the remarkable expansion of creative industries.