Southwest Contemporary Summit Debuts in Santa Fe with 150+ Art Workers

The first Southwest Contemporary Summit took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2026, bringing together over 150 artists, art workers, and writers. The event featured three panels focused on infrastructure and collaboration, the market and financial sustainability, and the state of the art ecosystem in the Southwest. Panelists included Ally Grimm, Peter Hay, Marisa Sage, Richard Saxton, Chelsey Johnson, Doug Kacena, Juniper Leherissey, Louise Martorano, Adriana Gallego, Chris Kiley, Danyelle Means, and Toccarra Thomas. Moderators were Natalie Hegert, Nancy Zastudil, and Jordan Eddy. The summit aimed to build regional coalition-building and address challenges such as pandemic disruptions, shifting technologies, and political divisiveness. Key themes included identifying and serving the visual arts audience, strengthening information infrastructure, preserving biodiversity in the arts ecosystem, and the urgent need for advocacy. A 2025 American Alliance of Museums report noted that attendance at over half of museums remains below pre-pandemic levels. The event also highlighted MOCA Los Angeles's appointment of nonprofit media executive Jonathan Abbott as director. The summit was supported by the City of Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department, Century Bank, Heritage Hotels, and CCA Santa Fe. Organizers plan to continue the conversation and focus on specific topics and success stories in future iterations.