MISSION
The mission of We Are This City is to develop authentic local, national and international infrastructure for creatives. We strive for long-term, sustainable growth for the creative economy.
WHAT WE DO
Albuquerque Voice Projects
The first Albuquerque voice project was the Albuquerque Manifesto poem written by Hakim Bellamy, the poem was inspired by We Are This City to shine positive light on who we are and what we are doing here in Albuquerque. The poem was made into a video by We Are This City, Hakim Bellamy & Concept Flux and has had great reception from the community.
We Are This City Community Art Projects
In September 2015, We Are This City hosted two community-driven events titled “ABQ BALLOON BLAST,” in which more than 70 youth and families participated. These interactive art experiences invited community members to participate in fun, celebratory exchange while creating abstract art by throwing balloons filled with paint at a designated building and 10 MDF panels. These panels were then cut into 2×2’ sections and distributed, by invitation, amongst 73 artists to add their creative vision.
The works were first exhibited in We Are This City’s pop-up show in Nob Hill, which 1,000+ people attended over two evenings in December 2015.
Next, We Are This City was chosen to do the stage design at the 2106 TEDxABQ which will incorporated the collection.
The City council gave We Are This City a budget to tour the collection to San Francisco which was exhibited at 111 Minna Gallery.
We Are This City has made more canvases of similar style but instead of balloons filled with paint, 500+ kids and adults put their handprints in paint on the panels, which were then distributed to 80 local artists to make the Hands On ABQ art collection.
Because of the extraordinary participation of the artists and our community, We Are This City has recognized the need to develop similar work in Albuquerque and in other cities, in a professional manner that compliments the quality of art, the community and the caliber of its creators.
Further, the We Are This City art projects offer a powerful and compelling mechanism by which to increase the national and international recognition of creative capital — and thus to extend the visibility and viable markets for creative professionals, beyond the boundaries of their local communities.
Vacant Buildings Initiative