Tularosa Arts and History Council
Preserving tradition, culture and history through music and art.
Preserving tradition, culture and history through music and art.
Our Founding Story:
In 2015, the Greater Tularosa Foundation (GTF) and the Village of Tularosa applied for assistance with image development and event development from New Mexico MainStreet’s Frontier Communities Initiative and were selected as a participant. The service team met with local stakeholders over the course of several meetings and collected valuable information that helped outline recommendations to support the Village as it makes decisions on image development, events and overall enrichment of Granado Street, the historic core of the community.
A key recommendation was to form a non-profit organization with the following objectives:
In 2015, the Greater Tularosa Foundation (GTF) and the Village of Tularosa applied for assistance with image development and event development from New Mexico MainStreet’s Frontier Communities Initiative and were selected as a participant. The service team met with local stakeholders over the course of several meetings and collected valuable information that helped outline recommendations to support the Village as it makes decisions on image development, events and overall enrichment of Granado Street, the historic core of the community.
A key recommendation was to form a non-profit organization with the following objectives:
- Develop a strong local stakeholders group.
- Support existing civic and government entities in ongoing design projects that will enhance the historical ‘main street’ district on Granado Street.
- Encourage existing businesses and create a climate of confidence for new business investment and jobs.
- Enrich the tourism industry by developing a destination for dining, shopping and exploring which will ring cash registers for those businesses.
- Embrace the spirit of the community with annual events that will appeal to regional residents and tourists.
Mission: To increase awareness about the rich history and talented artists in and around the Village of Tularosa through events that support art, history and culture, thereby drawing businesses and visitors to Granado Street and surrounding areas. Specific focus to include youthful artists interested in developing art and finding ways to encourage the passage of history and the culture of Tularosa from one generation to the next through the telling of life stories.
In early 2017, TAHC leadership was asked to establish a group of stakeholders to influence the Downtown Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan for the Village of Tularosa. TAHC Board and other members are listed as Community Stakeholders in the formal adopted version and TAHC is named explicitly throughout this key planning document as a trusted resource and responsible partner. The MRA Plan was funded through the New Mexico Finance Authority, Economic Development Department’s MainStreet Program, and the New Mexico State Legislature. Involvement in this activity established TAHC as valued community influencers.
Also in 2017, a Student Scholarship Fund was established with an initial contribution by Board Director, Karl Clay Vetter. In the spring during the Tularosa Art and Music Festival & Ice Cream Social the first round of scholarship funds were awarded.
In early 2017, TAHC leadership was asked to establish a group of stakeholders to influence the Downtown Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan for the Village of Tularosa. TAHC Board and other members are listed as Community Stakeholders in the formal adopted version and TAHC is named explicitly throughout this key planning document as a trusted resource and responsible partner. The MRA Plan was funded through the New Mexico Finance Authority, Economic Development Department’s MainStreet Program, and the New Mexico State Legislature. Involvement in this activity established TAHC as valued community influencers.
Also in 2017, a Student Scholarship Fund was established with an initial contribution by Board Director, Karl Clay Vetter. In the spring during the Tularosa Art and Music Festival & Ice Cream Social the first round of scholarship funds were awarded.
Already Funded Projects:
The TAHC was awarded a Resilient Communities Fund grant in 2016 from the New Mexico Resiliency Alliance, in partnership with the New Mexico MainStreet and the McCune Charitable Foundation to develop branding and marketing materials that will draw people to the Granado Street District and highlight arts and cultural assets. Two deliverables; a Granado Street logo and a rack card about Tularosa, to be placed in hotels, chamber of commerce offices, and tourist destinations around the state, were funded by this grant.
The TAHC was awarded a Resilient Communities Fund grant in 2016 from the New Mexico Resiliency Alliance, in partnership with the New Mexico MainStreet and the McCune Charitable Foundation to develop branding and marketing materials that will draw people to the Granado Street District and highlight arts and cultural assets. Two deliverables; a Granado Street logo and a rack card about Tularosa, to be placed in hotels, chamber of commerce offices, and tourist destinations around the state, were funded by this grant.
Committed Recurring Projects:
- Halloween on Granado Street: Over 1,000 community members and visitors gather on Granado Street for free games, trunk-or-treat displays, a haunted house, contests and live entertainment. This flagship event (inspired by the example set in 2015 by the Greater Tularosa Foundation) is held every year on the Saturday before Halloween.
- Spring Art Festival: The first spring event held in May 2017; the Tularosa Art and Music Festival & Ice Cream Social, sought to revive the tradition of handing out free ice cream and listening to music in the warm Tularosa sun. It was well attended and is likely to recur. It will always include local live music, handmade art and food, but may have a varying theme each year.
- Christmas Eve Luminaria Display: For many years, thousands of luminarias have been displayed throughout the Village of Tularosa on Christmas Eve. For the past twenty years, the luminarias were supplied through a cooperative effort between the Tularosa Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Tularosa. These entities are unable to continue to handle the organization and the expense of the project. TAHC has agreed to accept responsibility of portions of the project by organizing the volunteer effort and paying for the upfront expense of the luminaria supplies in 2017. In subsequent years, the entire project will fall under our purview.
Additional Projects Requiring Additional Funding:
- QR Code Trail: A walking tour of historical locations throughout the downtown area of Tularosa marked with interactive plaques containing a QR (Quick Response) code that the visitor can use to launch a series of recorded stories told by Tularosa citizens to their family members. This ‘tangible tourism’ concept “encourages the passage of history and culture of Tularosa from one generation to the next through the telling of life stories” as stated in our Mission.
- Youthful Artist Programs: Projects and programs where local artists are given opportunities to work with young artists in classrooms, community centers and special events.
Fundraising intention:
The council conducts ongoing fundraising efforts for the Student Scholarship Fund as well as for the programs and projects that service its Mission with a focus on events that raise awareness of the potential of the historic Granado Street district.
The council conducts ongoing fundraising efforts for the Student Scholarship Fund as well as for the programs and projects that service its Mission with a focus on events that raise awareness of the potential of the historic Granado Street district.
Membership:
Participation is open to anyone in the community, of all ages. Meetings are the first Wednesday of every month or more frequently as needed. Written records of meetings and activities are kept.
Participation is open to anyone in the community, of all ages. Meetings are the first Wednesday of every month or more frequently as needed. Written records of meetings and activities are kept.