A jazz trio, comprised of Byron Trammel, Michelle Parlee, and Peter Dahl-Bredine played before the MRAC annual meeting and after.

New MRAC executive director, Kevin Lenkner, talks about the upcoming Performance Series.

By Mary Alice Murphy

Mimbres Region Arts Council held its 2015 annual meeting at Vicki's Eatery on Market Street, Wednesday evening.  Vicki's Eatery provided snack foods.

During a short business meeting led by outgoing MRAC Board President Ashleigh Garcia thanked Jane Janson for helping with the presentation. "She has also been involved with the financial side and in the search for a new director."

Secretary Treasurer Bruce Ashburn showed a pie chart of MRAC's assets and liabilities, as well as where the revenue comes from, which includes fundraisers, vendor fees, ticket sales, product sales, memberships, donations, grants and sponsorships. "With lodgers' tax, we have to make sure we spend it the right way."

Ashburn reported the bottom line as $12,450. "At the end of the year five years ago, we were in the negative. Now for five consecutive years, we are in the black."

To a question, he said grants are stable, but generally want to pay for programs, not for operating expenses. "We are always looking for new funding sources." He replied to a question about the MRAC Foundation and said it is going well.

Garcia said she is honored to have been part of MRAC for the past two years and will continue on the board as past president. She introduced two departing board members, Maureen Craig and Anna Howell. She introduced the current board members, some of whom were present and some not. They include the incoming president, Mimi Clark; the vice president Melody Lee Collins; Ashburn as the treasurer/secretary; Julianna Albershardt; Claudia Elferdink; Amanda Holguin; Liny Scott; and Linda Smith. Staff includes the new executive director Kevin Lenkner; program manager and marketing director Alexandra Tager; office manager and volunteer coordinator Linda Gray; bookkeeper Dea Gros; webmaster Renee Whipple; graphic designer John Lund; and vendor coordinator Ginny Wolf.

"I believe we have the strongest, most amazing staff, with drive, hard work, a passion for the arts and I thank them for the extra hours they have put in during the director transition," Garcia said. "Faye McCalmont, we are pleased to have you here with your 20 years of service (as executive director). We are looking forward to working with you in your new position at the university."

McCalmont thanked the staff and board. "It was pretty rough to transition, but we are lucky to have a strong, vibrant arts council. It is an honor to have served."

Garcia thanked McCalmont for her having given the board time to find a new director. "It was a grueling search process. We feel like we have truly found the perfect person."

Lenkner thanked McCalmont and the board for the great body of work at MRAC. "The work of this board made me come to Silver City and gave me the confidence to come here. Please give applause to the board and the volunteers. My wife is smart and funny and we have an energetic four-year-old son."

"I have three core beliefs," he continued. "No. 1 is equitable access to the arts. MRAC should be recognized for that. No. 2 is creative youth development to give them the attributes to make them successful teens and adults, and No. 3 is creativity. We need our imagination and creativity to navigate the 21st Century."

Tager said she was thrilled to have been named program manager and marketing director. "I will take Faye's babies, the Blues Festival, Pickamania! and the Indie Folk Services and grow them. Sponsors keep us healthy."

She said this year's expansion of the Blues Festival to Blues and Bikes paid off. The town calculated $1.2 million in sales that weekend. Chocolate Fantasia has community-wide involvement. Pickamania! is a local crowd favorite. And the Black Tie Ball, kudos to Christine Rickman for bumping up the event."

Lenkner spoke about the 2015-16 performance series. "Friend us on Facebook, so we can use the printing money for other things." He said: "I love Fine Arts Fridays, which is a collaboration with PNM and the schools." He introduced Diana Ingalls-Leyba as the woman behind the Youth Mural Program.

Ingalls-Leyba said this year included a mural wall at The Volunteer Center and more work at Penny Park. Next year will see Phase 4 at the Visitor Center, with an Apache Wall. LifeQuest wants a mural of photos of kids. "We will do more at Penny Park. We will do photos of the residents of Memory Lane. We have a proposed project at the Office of Sustainability, and a bike mural at MorningStar. In the future, we plan a wall in the Big Ditch."

Melody Lee Collins said various types of membership go across the community. "Memberships are critical. The foundation started with $5,000 from an anonymous donor. If you want to donate see one of us or the staff."

Garcia announced this year's Black Tie Ball will have a theme of "Black Thai," and will be held again at Lawley Toyota on Dec. 12.

Craig said Chocolate Fantasia is slated for Feb. 6, with the theme, "Chocolate Fantasia on a World Tour."

Garcia ended the meeting thanking Vicki's Eatery for accommodating the evening.