Democrats recognize the role of the arts in giving meaning and purpose to our lives and toward making a community engaging to its citizens, tourists, labor force, and business partners. We are committed to investing in the arts and artists to continue our state’s rich cultural heritage.

We Affirm

1. The arts, including images, songs, and dances that originate within indigenous New Mexico cultures, are the intellectual property of that culture and should be protected; and

2. The arts contribute to community building and to the emotional, physical, and intellectual health of individuals in our society in significant and important ways; and

3. That the sharing of art is a bridge across generations.

We Will

1. Support the visual and performing arts through government funding, grants, marketing assistance, training, and increased market access; and

2. Support programs and legislation that provide for the health, housing, and well-being of New Mexico's artists; and

3. Support public art facilities (both long-term and short-term) that engage all communities, especially young and diverse people; and

4. Promote entrepreneurial and support services to artists, art-industry groups, and art-industry organizations; and

5. Encourage investment in  the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; and

6. Support the development of statewide curricula that emphasize visual and performing arts, as well as relying on the arts to engage students in other subject areas; and

7. Increase opportunities for local art communities and artists within the New Mexico film industry; and

8. Demand that grant opportunities are fairly distributed among organizations and individual emerging artists in New Mexico; and

9. Support the branding of New Mexico as a destination for domestic and international tourism; and

10. Support the use of public alternative spaces for art exhibitions and performances; and

11. Promote access to art in all areas of New Mexico, including rural/frontier regions; and

12. Support community curation of art projects and the award of patronage funding; and

13. Support artists in the protection of their copyrighted creations from artificial intelligence (AI).