Conference on March 5 & 12, 2021 is Free and Open to the Public
Santa Fe, N.M. – New Mexico MainStreet’s (NMMS) annual Winter Conference will be virtual this year and focus on “Creating a Climate of Confidence: COVID and Beyond.” New Mexico’s MainStreet practitioners, partners, and other interested individuals & organizations are invited to attend this free conference on March 5 & 12, 2021. As New Mexico moves beyond the pandemic and into economic recovery and reopening, NMMS is supporting districts with a series of presentations, workshops, and activities featuring speakers to address next steps in cultivating confidence in our revitalization organizations, businesses, and communities.
“New Mexico MainStreet’s conferences are an opportunity for professionals to get inspired and learn new strategies to improve their downtown,” Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said. “This conference is another way the Economic Development Department is supporting small businesses and communities throughout New Mexico as we work towards economic recovery.”
“The pandemic has been a challenge for everyone and by focusing our Winter Conference on building confidence, we’re helping our district leaders adapt and grow for the next phase of the state’s economic recovery,” NMMS Director Daniel Gutierrez said. “I’m proud of the innovative work our Executive Directors have completed during the pandemic, and this conference is a great opportunity to learn more strategies to improve and support our communities.”
The first day of the conference (March 5, 2021) features a keynote address from Mary Means, who led the team that created the National Main Street Center and author of the new book, Main Street’s Comeback and How It Can Come Back Again. The book tells the story of how, over four decades, citizens, small business owners, and civic leaders brought life back to the heart of their communities in hundreds of towns and scores of city neighborhood corridors. Following the keynote is a day of programming on handling stress, building confidence in your organization as the driver of economic revitalization, and encouraging your community to return to your district.
The second day (March 12, 2021) will open with a keynote address from Alan Pullman, founder and senior principal of Studio One Eleven, and his associate Shannon Heffernan. Their address, titled “Trends and Tactics for Creating Vibrant Streets,” focuses on placemaking trends (pre- and post-COVID) and successful tactics being utilized. Day two of the conference includes a session in which New Mexico business owners will discuss how they have persevered through these uncertain times and a workshop offering practical steps to build successful economic vitality programs in each MainStreet district.
Detailed conference information and registration can be found at nmmainstreet.org.
NMMS traditionally produces two conferences every year, one in the summer at a rotating host community and the other in Santa Fe to coincide with the winter Legislative Session. Attendance at NMMS conferences is required for district Executive Directors to maintain their program’s accreditation. NMMS also requires district Executive Directors to attend the annual Main Street Now Conference (also being held virtually this year).
In Feb. 2020, NMMS’s Winter Conference in Santa Fe hosted 68 professionals from across the state and presented acclaimed speaker Roger Brooks. Brooks presented on the resurgence of downtowns, getting people downtown on a consistent basis, and business recruitment.