A month ago, I wrote about the importance of critical writing and critical thinking, one of the core tenets of the work of The Magazine. Now I’m happy to write about a second core tenet: Community.
Ever since I first moved to Santa Fe, I have found that The Magazine was my entry point for getting to know and participate in the arts community. It was and continues to be a guide to follow and a conversation to listen in on. One of the powers of print is that, unlike skimming digital snippets from countless distant online sources, reading a local, tangible print publication is a communal, shared experience. This is not only a result of our dedication to local and regional topics and issues, but also the object’s potential as a catalyst for further conversation and dialogue.
I’m excited to announce that we can take the communal experience of sharing the creative work that makes up our content a step further and into the physical realm with the addition of a new home for our business. This larger, more accessible space will house not only our offices but also a place to gather, discuss, view, hear, taste, and otherwise experience the creative work featured in the pages of the magazine. We’ll have the ability to bring the discussions from the printed page into real-time through talks, events, classes, pop-up exhibitions, parties, and more. I look forward to sharing more details about programming as they develop. And, if you have ideas about how this space could serve our readers, please drop us a line!
Each selected artist will also be invited to participate in a group exhibition organized by our team and held in our new space.
I am also excited to announce an open call for artists to be featured in our February-March 2019 inaugural “Artists’ Issue.” Artists eighteen and older living and working in New Mexico at any career stage are welcome to submit artwork in any medium. The selected artists will receive a two-page spread in The Magazine’s February-March 2019 issue, including images of their work, a brief bio, and a website link. Each selected artist will also be invited to participate in a group exhibition organized by our team and held in our new space. We are passionate about providing visibility to emerging and mid-career artists, and excited to share some of the most compelling work being made in our state with our readers. To find further details and how to submit, please visit our website at southwestcontemporary.com/call-for-art.
Don’t forget, we always look forward to hearing your responses to our content or the goings-on in the New Mexico art world. Please direct Letters to the Editor to me at
lauren@southwestcontemporary.com.
Thank you for reading, and happy Thanksgiving!
Lauren Tresp, editor + publisher
lauren@southwestcontemporary.com
1415 W Alameda St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
to the editor:
October 2018: “From the Editor”
To the Editor
Appreciated reading your letter on criticism. I am from Sacramento, CA, but show in Santa Fe. I could easily use what you wrote and apply it to my town, ha! Growth both as artists, viewers, and as a community doesn’t happen unless there is something that challenges our thinking and what we’ve come to be comfortable with. Discourse is key and it’s great that your publication can be a seed to get discussions going.
-John Fortes, Sacramento
To the Editor
This piece is wonderful, thank you for sharing this inside view of The Magazine and its purpose in the community. Since I have lived here in SFNM I have NOT read anything like this. Again thank you.
-Tony Brown, Santa Fe
