It Been a Busy year…

Moving Arts Española continues its unwavering commitment to fostering community, empowerment, and transformation through the arts. For the last sixteen years, we've remained dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality arts education and programming to the diverse communities of Northern New Mexico. The following is a glimpse into our recent endeavors and the impact we've made.

Expanding Reach: Over the past year,  we’ve expanded our reach to serve even more individuals across a wider range of age groups. Through partnerships with local schools, behavioral health centers, and community nonprofits, we've brought the transformative power of the arts to hundreds of children and youth weekly..

Innovative Programs: Our commitment to innovation and creativity has led to the development of new and dynamic programs. From Sculpture to 3D Printing classes to outdoor mural projects, we've adapted our offerings to meet the evolving needs of our community while ensuring access to artistic expression and 

• Visual Arts Transformed – Master artist, Cruz Lopez, developed a course for students to create their own sculptures by hand. Students then scan the sculpture and 3D print a replica. This is a perfect blend of cultural heritage and workforce preparedness for our teen students. They are able to use traditional techniques to create a sculpture and then employ computer technology to replicate or modify their art digitally. 

• Edutainment – Teens, with the aid of MAE staff and an industry professional, created short videos  addressing common youth struggles. Students were supported weekly by a trained behavioral health specialist who offered insight and general support to the group. 

• Speaking Out– The youth of our Creative Leadership Program partnered with the National Latino Behavioral Health Association to create Public Service Announcements, engage in a roundtable discussion with state legislators, and present before the NM State Health and Human Services Committee to recommend in school improvements to mental health services.

• Art in Public Spaces – Several teen artists produced panels for a public facing mural to be installed at the Española Pathways Shelter. One very talented young artist leveraged this experience to secure a professional contract to create a mural on location. 

Empowering Youth:

• Internships – We have expanded our internship opportunities and with the aid of funding provided through WorkForce Solutions, Future Focused Education and multiple Foundations, we currently host 18 interns. Teens and youth adults are employed by Moving Arts to learn valuable job skills while they teach classes they have mastered; work in our Healthy Meals Program addressing nutrition, food preparation and food handling skills, or produce and edit films for marketing or educational purposes.

• Mentorships –  Talented teen artists were provided the opportunity to work alongside professional artists and gain business-side experience including practicing skills to negotiate contracts, create timelines and budgets, and digitally design and scale large projects.  

Cultural Enrichment:

• Moving Arts provided over 350 children weekly classes in a wide variety of arts including traditional dance–folklorico and flamenco, music, visual arts, ballet, hip hop, digital media and more. 

• Students participated in multiple integrated public performances or exhibitions to display their talents, gain confidence, and share culture with the community. 

Looking Ahead:  Moving Arts is indeed in constant motion! We have several great projects and collaborations in the works and look forward to sharing more soon!

Thank you for your continued interest and support of Moving Arts Española. Together, we're building a more vibrant, connected, and resilient community through the transformative power of the arts.