Faye McCalmont plans to reenergize cultural happenings on WNMU campus

Silver City, NM - For more than 20 years, Faye McCalmont has been a mover and shaker for the arts and culture scene in New Mexico, and now she plans to bring her successful track record to Western New Mexico University.

McCalmont is the new Assistant to the President for Cultural Affairs, a position dedicated to raising the education and awareness among the university community for art and entertainment. WNMU President Joseph Shepard created the position in an effort to bring culture to the forefront at a time that many institutions are downgrading or eliminating such programs.

“We want to create a cultural series for students, bringing in art, culture and music that students normally do not have access to,” said McCalmont. “Events such as artist workshops and expanding the Women In The Arts Lecture series are in the works.”

McCalmont recently retired from the Mimbres Region Arts Council, serving as its executive director for 20 years.

“The broad vision here is to connect the university and the town in a greater way,” said McCalmont. “It is exciting because as director of the arts council I always worked with the university and we are going to expand that relationship.”

For her first event, McCalmont is organizing another Live On The Lawn concert event for Friday, August 21. She has tapped world-renowned flamenco guitarist Robert Michaels to headline the event. The concert begins at 5:00 p.m. in Old James Stadium and is free to the public.

Live music and artist talks are just one piece of the pie for McCalmont who sees opportunities for local non-profits to benefit from the resources that come with partnering with a university.

“Western is going to make greater efforts to connect with non-profits in the community and help figure out ways to encourage and support them in what they are doing,” said McCalmont. “We want to help them in their mission and expand on this idea of culture.”

Western New Mexico University has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and serves a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.