By S. Derrickson Moore/Sun-News reporter
Article Launched: 09/05/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT
LAS CRUCES —Artists and leaders of arts and cultural organizations are invited to the Southern New Mexico Arts Convention from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and Sept. 15 and 22 at New Mexico State University's Corbett Center Student Union.
The aim of the gathering is to bring community leaders together to discuss the economic impact of arts and culture in southern New Mexico and brainstorm promotion ideas and strategies, according to David Boje of The Talking Stick Institute (TSI), sponsor of the three-day event, which will feature speakers, films and task force groups.
"People don't realize the art assets we have here. There are 84 art service organizations in Las Cruces that will benefit in coming together. We're going to put Las Cruces and Mesilla art on the map," said Boje, an NMSU business professor.
Tony Award-winning playwright and filmmaker Mark Medoff will give the opening address. Local filmmaker Ed Breeding will open the first session Monday with his documentary film, "Heart of the Arts: Las Cruces and Mesilla Valley, New Mexico."
The screening will be followed by "TSI meetings where participants pass the Talking Stick to develop three goals for the arts convention. We will break participants into 10 task
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forces where students in NMSU's Small Business Consulting classes will facilitate the discussions," Boje said.
Guest speakers for the first session include Sharon Schultz, chief executive officer of the Tourism Association of New Mexico; Cindi Fargo, executive director of Las Cruces Downtown; and Chris Faivre, Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau, with closing comments from Mayor Ken Miyagishima.
The Sept. 15 session will feature guest speakers Mesilla Mayor Michael Cadena and Rich Williams, state coordinator of New Mexico Arts and Cultural Districts. Goals and action plans will be formulated by the task forces.
In the third session, Garrey Carruthers, dean of NMSU's College of Business, will address the task forces, which will then create plans to evaluate each group's progress.
Boje said that groups represented at the arts convention will include the Doña Ana Arts Council, Las Cruces Downtown, the New Mexico Tourism Association, New Mexico Arts, the New Mexico Arts and Cultural District, the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau, ArtForms, City of Artists Promotional Association and Sin Fronteras/Writers Without Borders.
For information, contact Boje at (575) 532-1693 or visit http://www.talkingstick.info/.
S. Derrickson Moore can be reached at dmoore@lcsun-news.com