Ahead of a competitive grant round in Fall 2026, local governments, municipalities, Pueblo governments, and Tribal Nations across the state can submit projects under the new creative industries.
The grant, under the New Mexico Economic Development Department, seeks to give communities time to develop strategic arts and cultural economy projects before applying for funding.
“Communities need time to build strong projects,” Cabinet Secretary Rob Black, in a statement, said. “This approach gives public partners a chance to build compelling projects before diving into the formal funding process.”
Public entities must submit high-level project narratives outlining proposed initiatives under the concept phase. Participation in the pre-application stage is required to qualify for the Fall 2026 funding round.
Shani Harvie, director of the department’s Creative Industries Division, said the additional planning period aims to improve long-term outcomes.
“We know from our statewide study and prior funding rounds that communities have strong ideas,” Harvie said. “This phase creates space for local and Tribal governments to refine those ideas, build partnerships, project realistic budgets, and secure match commitments before submitting a full application.”
The EDD has opened the pre-application window on March 2. It will run until June 30, 2026, at 6 pm MST. The initiative prioritizes rural communities.
EDD encourages local and tribal governments to participate in NM CreativeCon events scheduled between March and June. The events aim to link communities with potential partners. It will also highlight successful creative industries initiatives across the state.
To learn more about the program—including how to apply, guidelines, and eligibility requirements—visit the Creative Industries Division Grant webpage.