Grants is a community that has gone through its boom and bust cycles and now, like other Western communities, is thinking about how it will sustain its economy for current and future generations.  Creating a sustainable economy involves developing new models of thinking about economic, cultural, and political paradigms. Furthermore, sustainable communities are more driven by human capital and depend on the entrepreneurial spirit to survive. 

Grants is starting to build a foundation of entrepreneurs, especially cultural entrepreneurs, who will be great catalysts to preserve and promote our cultures.  Local cultural entrepreneurs like Ava Peets and Robert Gallegos, leaders with the Cibola County Arts Council and mentioned in my previous posts, are just a few examples of individuals building cultural organizations that contribute to the entrepreneurial economy while creating a vibrant cultural community.

Grants has some other great initiatives including the MainStreet Program led locally by Randy Hoffmann, which is also a statewide initiative.  The New Mexico MainStreet Program is a “highly successful – community-driven, flexible approach to downtown revitalization.  It brings people together, fosters civic pride, economic revitalization, job growth, and restores the heart of our small communities and neighborhoods.”

The development of the Ancient Way Arts Trail supported by the New Mexico Tourism Department and New Mexico Arts has also been a dynamic initiative, led by Tom Kennedy of Zuni Pueblo and modeling how communities can collaborate to create cultural destinations. 

The Ancient Way Arts Trail was created to recognize the region’s uniqueness and is considered to be New Mexico’s first “multi-arts trails”.  Running from Grants to Zuni to Gallup, the trail highlights a variety of cultures including the Navajo, Zuni, Hispanic, Anglo, and Mormon.  The trail has 26 participating sites, representing more than 650 artists.  Along the trail you’ll find independent artists, galleries, museums, shops and so much more amid breathtaking scenery.  Over the next month, you’ll meet some of the artists and locals along the Ancient Way Arts Trail as I visit the area of El Morro.

As I wrap up my posts on Grants, one question remains in my mind.  Do they need more tourists to build the local businesses, or do they need more businesses to attract more tourists?  I’m curious to get your thoughts!

Ava Peets, a lifelong artist, became a professional artist in Grants, New Mexico.  Ava reflected on her joy of living in New Mexico: “It is such good fortune to live in this wonderful state–with all the beauty, cultures, and history, which serve as constant inspiration for innumerable subjects to paint.”

Ava was encouraged to become an artist at an early age by her parents.  She began drawing and cutting silhouettes at six years old.  Later, upon entering Southwest Missouri State University, she studied fine art and commercial art.  Her plans to become a commercial artist were changed when she married and had children, but she still continued to take various art lessons.  She stated, “The desire to pursue my artist interests has never left me.”

Ava had the opportunity to learn the fine art of porcelain painting during the mining boom days in Grants.  She did this for more than six years and then quit the medium completely moving on to pursue an interest in sports and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors of New Mexico.

One of Ava’s greatest loves was cross county skiing on Mt. Taylor, which is nearly in her backyard.  She participated in the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon and worked out to improve her skiing ability.  However, she injured her shoulders so severely it changed her plans to continue with cross country skiing.  As luck would have it, the opportunity arose for Ava to start painting again as she said, “It is a true joy in my life.” 

She began painting in oils, her favorite medium for about 14 years.  And after so many years she became a professional artist and attributes her success to the Double Six Gallery in Grants.  Most of Ava’s work is Southwestern, and in particular historical buildings, which is her favorite subject.

Even though Grants is a community with many artists and cultural entrepreneurs, Ava admits that it has its challenges.  “Much of it is recognizing that Grants has a large artist community.  Our community is very diverse, but the strong art presence still needs to be known throughout our state and beyond.  There are numerous sculptors, painters, potters, quilters, photographers, jewelry makers, however, this is just not seen or known for the amount of artists who live in the area.  We need a lot of publicity.”

However Ava believes that, “One of the greatest opportunities in Grants is to be able to show at the  Double Six Gallery.  There are other locations of art galleries and artists studios as well.”  Learn more about the Double Six Gallery and the group that got it all going, the Cibola Arts Council, in my next post!

Photo Courtesy of Denise Avila

Last week Thomas Friedman came out with another great opinion piece, “The New Untouchables” in which he argues that the “huge ethical breakdown on Wall Street, coincided with an education breakdown on Main Street” and that our middle-class workers are rapidly losing their ability to out-compete middle wage workers in foreign nations.  He suggests that The New Untouchables are those who, “have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work”, those with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset, in other words.  Furthermore, he makes the point that,

“Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait.”

The days of work being handed out to those who happen to be standing nearby are over.  Instead we are tasked with using our ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to seek out new market opportunities and leverage our creative talents into new ventures.  And this call to join the Creative Force is being answered loud and clear by cultural entrepreneurs.

In New Mexico cultural entrepreneurs like Patricia Michaels are building into this new economic reality.  Ms. Michaels designs her own fashion pieces,  has them all sewn here in the US, and leverages the appeal of Native  American community values and expressions to connect with buyers.  Her shows are lively events where customers shake hands with the woman behind the wearable art, listen to the stories of Taos Pueblo that are hand-painted onto the fabrics, and leave with a little piece of Native America elegantly draped around their neck, or tossed across their back.  High fashion + deep meaning = satisfied customers.

Patricia readily talks about her vision for building her cultural enterprise, “I want the world to feel the Native American culture in a way in which they are being invited into a common ground.”

Hand Painted Fabric by Patricia Michaels, Photo by Jennifer Esperanza

Patricia Michaels is uniquely gifted in her ability to translate her Native heritage into wearable art that meets a growing demand for meaningful fashion products.  Friedman advises that, “Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs,  new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive.”

And Patricia Michaels is just one example of a thriving cultural entrepreneur.

Painting “First Light” by Ron Ukrainetz

At GCCE our core tenets are:

We believe talented entrepreneurs drive wealth creation;
     Therefore, we are entrepreneur focused.
We believe cultural entrepreneurs have unique opportunities and needs;
     Therefore we are experts in building cultural enterprises.
We believe markets drive profit opportunities;
     Therefore we build toward growing cultural markets.
We believe enterprise networks increase innovation and speed to market;
     Therefore, we build clusters of cultural enterprises.

But, today in Bozeman, Montana, while giving a short presentation to a group at TechRanch, I realized one tenet was missing.  Therefore, I am going to add this:

We believe all communities are culturally rich;

Therefore, all communities can thrive in the Creative Age…even communities whose economies have historically not been based on human capital, like the communities of Montana I am visiting this week.

Bozeman, Montana- the land of glacially carved valleys, towering granite peaks, and wild trout-filled rivers. 

This morning, as I leafed through a series of brochures about this, The Last Great Place, I came across these words: “While Montana may not be a cultural hub…”.  And I thought to myself, “Maybe not to someone else, but this is my culture!”  Towering peaks that tell the seasons, ranchers and cows that struggle to sustain, galleries filled with vibrant expression of place more than people, museums that recall the struggles of pioneers and Native Americans.  The West has a culture all its own and while emblematic images of cowboys and open ranges still hold true in some places a new cultural reality is arising in towns from Bozeman, Montana to Bisbee, Arizona.

Montana, like so many places in the West is faced with a changing global economy and the next iteration in the Montana economy will likely be built on creativity and culture. Within just a day in Montana I have come across more than 50 cultural enterprises – ranging from the 320 Guest Ranch to the Bozeman Opera to the myriad Yellowstone National Park tour operators.  And each of these cultural ventures equally expresses the culture of Montana.

As our Western communities move away from natural resource based economies to human capital based economies we need policies and development resources that support cultural industries.  And, we need to highlight and support the work of cultural entrepreneurs – the leaders who are envisioning and building a “society that matches the scenery” here in the West.

I find myself unwinding from the week’s activities at The Cowgirl BBQ – a local BBQ joint in Santa Fe started by two entrepreneurs who “came up with the idea of promoting the culture of the American Cowgirl through the foods of the American West and Southwest.”  There’s nothing like getting a little American culture with some good ole’ folk music and BBQ.  I can’t help to think how cultural entrepreneurs surround us every day and we don’t even realize it.

The patio air is crisp and I know fall is here as I put my jacket on for the first time since spring.  I sit with a few friends planning the weekend’s activities: do we head north to Tres Piedras to climb or south to hike the 11,301 ft extinct volcano known as Mt. Taylor?  As we weigh the options, I sit and listen to a young but talented fiddler. We opt for Mt. Taylor.

The car is loaded with friends, gear, and good spirits as we head south on I25 from Santa Fe and then West on I40.  The drive to Grants is about two hours.  Upon arriving at the trailhead I wonder why no one else is here on this beautiful fall day, but then wonder if it is due to the lack of road signage through Grants!  We got about a half hour off schedule due to missing various turns through the town.

But the good thing about getting off course is that I spotted Badlands Burgers – the restaurant that won Gov. Bill Richardson’s recent Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge at the state fair.  I’m not a fan of hot and spicy food, but I think I may have to try it simply because it is the best in all of New Mexico!  Perhaps it will satisfy my post-hike hunger later in the day.

It’s a gorgeous fall day as we start our ascent up the Gooseberry Spring Trail through the ponderosa and aspen forest.  Most of the aspens have reached their peak as they glisten in the sun.  We come to our first clearing and see amazing vistas and mesas in the distance.  This gets us excited to reach top to see what the views look like from 360 degrees around.  A few hours later, we’ve reached the summit, where the temperatures have dropped and the winds have picked up but it’s all worth it for the views as I’ve read you can see a third of New Mexico from the top.

As I stand on the summit I can’t help but think how Mt. Taylor has so much to offer – hiking, biking, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing – that there is even an event that highlights all of these activities in one race!  Coming this February, Grants will host the 27th Annual Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon…a grueling physical and mental challenge from Grants to the summit of Mt. Taylor and back via four sports.  I’m not sure if I have the physical prowess to compete in such a race, but it has me intrigued so perhaps you’ll read more about it in February.

But Mt. Taylor doesn’t just provide outdoor adventure experiences, it provides cultural experiences as well.  It’s a sacred mountain to as many as 30 Tribes in the area and was recently listed on the State Register of Cultural Properties to protect the cultural and natural resources from uranium mining.  Can its cultural significance combined with its adventure opportunities make Mt. Taylor and nearby Grants a destination for adventure and cultural tourism?  Grants, like other Western communities, is moving beyond extractive industries as resources deplete and now has to think about developing a sustainable economy.  In the coming weeks, you can read more about this topic as I talk to some locals about the opportunities that may exist.  

Jemez Springs, deep in the heart of the spectacular Jemez Mountains, is a cultural hub that has the potential to become a cultural destination attracting people from all around the world.  A rich intersection of culture, history, and natural beauty, Jemez Springs is a place where Native, Spanish, and Anglo cultures mingle and co-exist, creating a unique destination of galleries, restaurants, outdoor activities, and religious retreats.  As you explore Jemez Springs you may even find yourself thinking you’re in a high mountain village in the Himalayas with the prayer flags that hang off some of the establishments.  And, given the various spiritual centers in Jemez Springs – including the Bodhi Manda Zen Center and the Handmaids of the Precious Blood – you wouldn’t be far off.

And there’s more: the village is located on the Jemez Mountain Trail – a National Scenic Byway, is home to ancient ruins that are now designated as the Jemez State Monument and is just south of the world-renowned Valles Caldera National Preserve.  And with the historic Native Pueblo of Jemez bordering the village nearby, Jemez Springs is a cultural tourism mecca.

However, the recurring theme I heard as I talked to people in Jemez Springs is that the plethora of people who drive through Jemez Springs do just that – they drive right on through.  Even with all of these attractions, Tanya Struble, a cultural entrepreneur and co-founder of the Giggling Springs comments that, “the biggest complaint of visitors is that there aren’t enough places to shop for local art.”  She sees local artists making a name for themselves, but not in Jemez Springs.  Local artists have to go to cities like Santa Fe to be successful.  Tanya remarks, “Artists should have success in their hometowns, not in other cities.”

Increasingly, New Mexico’s artists live and create their art in rural towns – in the landscapes that inspire them, and in the “rent districts” they can afford.  They drive to cities where markets tend to be centered and leave their creations behind, not knowing who buys these pieces of their creative spirit.  Yet if the landscapes that inspire these creative minds to paint, sculpt, compose, and cook are in our rural communities, then perhaps the markets should be thriving in these communities as well.

Small communities across New Mexico – just like Jemez Springs—are working to find ways to get people who drive through to stop and get out of their cars.  Building a critical mass of cultural enterprises and a cooperative effort among these enterprises is a first step to creating a destination that welcomes visitors and sells products and experiences that urban dwellers are hungry for.  Getting good public relations to market the village would be helpful, but what else is needed to make Jemez Springs a cultural destination that attracts people and does not become overly commercialized?  I’m interested to hear your comments!

It’s not just the natural beauty that makes the Jemez Valley spectacular, but that it is home to three significant cultures – Native American, Spanish, and Anglo – which makes it a natural hub for cultural entrepreneurs like Tanya Struble and Therese Councilor.

Tanya and Therese fell in love with the Jemez area and had a dream to run their own business.  In 1995, when the prospect came up to purchase the former springs they jumped on the opportunity.  Tanya commented, “we wanted to keep the history of this place alive so instead of bulldozing and starting over, we renovated using similar materials or reusing materials.”  After two years, they finished the renovation and opened what is known today as the Giggling Springs, a destination for those looking for solitude and relaxation.

Giggling Springs offers a respite with a pool fed by the hot springs – which are rich in minerals and are known to have healing properties in Native American cultures.  You can have your pick of floating on noodles or swinging in a hammock to let your worries drift away.  In the backdrop, the running water of the Jemez River will serenade you and provides a place to cool down after soaking in the springs.  Giggling Springs also offers massage services, a gift shop and a small snack shop where you can order a homemade smoothie to be delivered to you poolside.

The history of the hot springs started with the Jemez Native Americans who called it “the place of boiling waters.”  It was then taken over and run by a Spanish family in the mid to late 1800’s.  It was the Spanish who built a building over the hot springs to make it more “civilized.”  It is this building that still stands today on the property, but is not used because of its fragility.  Then around 1905 an Anglo family took the place over and ran it until 1950 when the family closed it.

Tanya and Therese have kept the original building in tact on the property, but it is used just as show from a distance as it is deteriorating.  They feel they only have about two more years until the building completely crumbles.  One of their more recent challenges is to find funding to preserve the original bathhouse of the Jemez area.

When asked what they see as the future for cultural entrepreneurship in the Jemez area, Tanya said, “In recent history, we have worked together to promote the Jemez Mountains as a ‘destination resort without walls’.  Most tourists are extremely interested in the Native American culture and art.  As a tourist based economy, we need to work together…diversity in culture and art exist here, just no one knows about it!”

Louisiana just gave its Culture Awards and the new Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman, attended the gathering and presented the awards.  Landesman is truly a cultural entrepreneur and he recognized the power of culture in society both economically and socially.  He said in Louisiana, “Art jobs are real jobs”.  When have you heard that before from the NEA?  How refreshing.

Louisiana Lt Governor Mitch Landrieu has been a real leader in the field of US cultural industry development.  He attends cultural events locally and speaks out nationally and internationally.  Lt. Governor Landrieu is an exemplary leader at the state level and now we have a cultural entrepreneur in a key federal leadership position.

Let us work together on our state’s and countries to lift up more leaders like these.  The time is right.

Thank you Rocco Landesman and Lt. Governor Landesman!

Many of us are cultural entrepreneurs with experience in building markets for our cultural enterprises.  I have been involved in building the largest maritime bookstore at Mystic Seaport, a new maritime gallery that created a market for living artists, a book and print publish enterprise at Mystic Seaport, a lobster clambake enterprise at Mystic Seaport Museum, an international folk art market, a statewide artist, artisan and author retail and internet site and the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship.

You too have created cultural enterprises and have a world of experience.

It is time we have a place to come together and share our wisdom with each other and with emerging cultural entrepreneurs.  Also, we can help shape cultural policy, education programs and curriculum and lead the development of investment funds.  Organized we have the potential to increase the Common Good by building livelihoods for cultural workers and enhancing the quality of life in our communities.

We need to create an annual World Cultural Forum and several of us here in Santa Fe, NM are ready to work on it and host it here.

Join me to SOW the seeds of cultural entrepreneurship in our hometowns and across the globe.

This is must fifth and last post on the presentation I will make at the World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries before the conference begins tomorrow.

Later this month I travel to Monza, Italy for the first UNESCO Forum on Cultural Industries.  UNESCO has asked me to present on “New Strategies for Cultural Enterprises”  You might be surprised that I chose Cultural Industries Policy as the first of five major points I want to introduce.  Not being much of a “policy wonk” this is unfamiliar territory for me but I have come to appreciate that policy it is critical to building opportunities for cultural entrepreneurs.  Cultural Industry policy needs to:

1. Foster the development of cultural entrepreneurs
2. Address public and private strategies for cultural industries to grow such as in our city  of Santa Fe
3. Focus on specific sectors and clusters

We have many strategies available to us to build and strengthen our cultural enterprises and it takes policy at the local, regional or national levels to make them effective. I have listed several strategies that can be addressed through cultural policy and support our cultural entrepreneurs:

1. Invest in Market Development and Market Linkages
Locally: http://www.torpedofactory.org/history.htm
Nationally: Denmark
International: Exporting cultural products and services

2. Create Investment Funds for enterprise growth
Creating new funds, private and public, that invest in our cultural entrepreneurs who will convert cultural capital into successful enterprises, enhancing cultural workers livelihoods.  www.socialcapitalmarkets.net

3. Support technical assistance for Product Development
The irony of preserving traditions is the seed of innovation and creativity is needed.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Docey-Lewis/698307412

4. Initiate Facility Development
We need cultural incubators, studios, performing venues, http://www.brewhouse.se/

5. Foster Network and Cluster Development
Linking together creators and markets will create positive synergy

6. Provide supportive legislation that fosters the development of cultural entrepreneurs, enterprises and industries
Zoning for arts and cultural districts
Tax incentives to promote investment and market development
Architecture restoration, preservation and zoning
Simplify enterprise regulations and permits
Laws that protect cultural intellectual property

All of these areas require attention as cultural industries policy is developed.  A good reference book is: “The Cultures and Globalization Series: The Cultural Economy“, Eds Helmut Anheier and Yudhishthir Raj Isar, Sage Publications, 2008.