After twenty years at 516 Central Avenue SW in Albuquerque, 516 Arts marks a flagship anniversary with a move to a new, renovated space.
516 Arts has been an anchor of Albuquerque’s downtown corridor since 2006. Stationed on the 500 block of Central Avenue, a location that also lends the nonprofit gallery its name (the street number is 516), 516 is marking twenty years of ambitious programming that connects contemporary artists to diverse communities.
Founded by longtime executive director Suzanne Sbarge, who passed the torch to current director April Chalay in 2024, 516 has brought consistent cultural activity—in the form of exhibitions, artist talks, gallery tours, readings, and workshops—to the often-in-flux commercial landscape of the downtown area. While not straying far from its birthplace, 2026 nevertheless holds big changes for 516.
“This anniversary coincides with a major transition,” Chalay says. After opening a last-hurrah exhibition in early July, the gallery will then make preparations for a move to a recently renovated building on the northeast corner of 1st and Marquette. Part of a new public-private partnership with the City of Albuquerque, the larger space will allow the organization to deepen its work in the city by launching a studio residency program, expanding youth education programming, and creating “a new, flexible exhibition space with more opportunities for local artists outside of our main exhibition schedule,” as Chalay puts it. A sizable program space will also accommodate larger events.
Leading up to the move, 516 plans to invite the community to celebrate this milestone anniversary as well as the big things ahead. “For us, the anniversary is both a moment to reflect on nearly two decades of work with artists and audiences, and an opportunity to look forward to what this expanded space can make possible,” Chalay says. Considering this next chapter, she continues, “Ultimately, we hope to help build an arts ecosystem where artists are supported, new voices and ideas can emerge, and creativity continues to shape the future of our region.”
