We kick off our year end campaign, What Matters, by highlighting our Arts & Culture field-of-interest. Arts & Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas: organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for low-income and/or at-risk populations and organizations supporting the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area through visual and performing arts.

Field-of-Interest Endowment Funds ensure resources today and tomorrow. For example, one grantee, Basement Films, has been using its grant to update and catalogue an archive of 8,000 films, as well as work with Albuquerque Public Schools on a student film-intern program. The organization has also been supporting the Experiments in Cinema Festival and developing new opportunities with arts venues and local businesses for future partnerships.

Numerous studies have shown that a vibrant arts and culture sector creates jobs. When Basement Films helps students understand the art and craft of making films, it inspires them to not only find positive ways to express themselves, it gives them immediately useful skills. Skills that are in demand in New Mexico’s growing film and digital media sector.

We are all working toward the common goal of a more vibrant, economically prosperous community. How we get there may be different for each of us, but we’re all on the same path. It’s the common goal that brings us together.

We ask you to join us now in supporting the Arts & Culture Endowment Fund. Gifts of all amounts are welcome (for any area of need, of course) – even $5 makes a difference when joined with hundreds of others giving $5. Donating through the Foundation offers the ultimate in flexibility, too, ensuring there will be resources tomorrow for needs we can’t even imagine today.

What matters to you, Albuquerque? We want to know. Share your stories and ideas, too.