NEW MEXICO – The New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD), in collaboration with Santa Fe-based Creative Startups, continues to move forward with its study of the state’s creative industries, with the goal of developing a comprehensive state plan for the new Creative Industries Division (CID).
“The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Creative Industries Division is inching closer to having a statewide plan that will guide the important work of promoting New Mexico’s creative economy,” said Mark Roper, EDD’s interim cabinet secretary.
In collaboration with Vital Spaces and the Poeh Cultural Center, the Creative Startups research team’s efforts have been crucial in laying the groundwork for the strategic development of the CID. In 28 of New Mexico’s 33 counties, the team has met with more than 150 creative entrepreneurs, working artists, educators and community organizers, both in person and online.
In addition to these meetings, the researchers have interviewed 58 experts in creative, rural and tribal economic development and contacted the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the New Mexico Tourism Department, the New Mexico Film Office and other agencies to establish future collaborations with the CID. Forging these meaningful connections has been essential to its mission.
Direct conversations with New Mexico creatives have uncovered several strategies that offer potential to boost local economies, such as integrating historic sites with immersive experiences and combining commercial work with cultural heritage initiatives. In addition, fostering the development of digital media and green resilience technologies in open spaces holds promise, and establishing resident artist retreats and programs focused on community-based economic development could further enhance the circulation of local value.
EDD highlighted that in addition to direct outreach and interviews, the research team has conducted rigorous qualitative analyses of data sources, including BLS and Census data, along with a comprehensive examination of New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) revenues from 2015 to 2022 to systematically unravel the intricate threads of the state’s creative economy. Early findings from this research underscore the immense potential of New Mexico’s creative landscape. This aligns with national trends highlighting the economic potential of the creative sector, which added $1.1 trillion to the national GDP in 2022.
Interested New Mexico creatives were urged to join the study by signing up to express their perspective and attend community meetings.
