Art Matters

It’s no secret that Taos is an important place of cultural and artistic expression and practice. The people of Taos have a deep appreciation for the land and its beauty, and the artistic practices that thrive here. Today, with our communities’ rich history, and robust creativity, it is important that our public institutions recognize and invest in its creative community in order to sustain it for the future. 

One such contributor to the vibrancy and vitality of Taos is the Paseo Project. Paseo offers the community unique, completely free, all-ages, and fully interactive arts and cultural experiences. The annual PASEO Festival welcomes over 4,500 unique attendees, provides over $500,000 in economic impact to Taos County, and employs over 50 individuals through full, part-time, contract, and artist-hires each year. More so, PASEO creates equitable access for everyone no matter their economic or social status to experience and enjoy art and creativity. It creates community cohesiveness and a sense of pride, as well as inspiration and pure fun. 

We cannot take our artists, creative businesses, arts organizations, educators, culture-bearers, folklorists, and makers for granted. Art and culture is not just a nice-to-have; it is vital to the health and well-being of communities like Taos, who are often pulled in tempting directions by wealth, development, outside influence, and the natural arc of change. 

With any important sector, cultural activity doesn’t just happen, and it doesn’t grow and thrive without support and investment. This investment expresses a community's values, and creates an elevated sense of awareness and belonging for community members and visitors. 

The economic impact of PASEO and the broad industry of arts and culture in Taos cannot be minimized. According to research from Americans for the Arts, these businesses and groups directly generated over $86.2 million in economic value-add to the Taos County economy in 2021. 

Both the Town of Taos and Taos County are completing their budget cycles for the upcoming Fiscal Year. We at the Paseo Project see this as an important opportunity for our public institutions to invest resources in the arts community at large, and to support and sustain our diverse and creative communities. 

We invite community members to collectively advocate for the arts, and the Paseo Project, by joining us at either the upcoming Taos County Commission meeting on June 20 at 9:00 a.m., or at the upcoming Town of Taos workshop meeting on June 26 at 4:00 p.m. We also invite community members to participate in a virtual advocacy learning session on June 29 at 6:00 p.m. to share how the Paseo Project is deepening and strengthening our relationship with the Town and County. We firmly believe that by working together we can strengthen our community. The arts, and the Paseo Project, are central to doing so. 

by Elizabeth Crittenden Palacios, Board Chair, The Paseo Project