Moving Arts Española News:
ESPAÑOLA – After a decade of growth and creativity at its current location, Moving Arts announced that it will relocate by January 2025. With their future location undetermined, Moving Arts is rallying its supporters for a monumental transition. This move presents an opportunity to bring their vibrant after-school and summer youth arts programming to an existing facility in Española.
“The challenge is finding that location and the funding to support our vision for the future of Moving Arts. We reach out to our cherished community and dedicated families to support us as we navigate this pivotal moment,” said Salvador Ruiz, the non-profit’s chief executive.
Moving Arts serves more than 700 students annually from 28 communities in and around Española and Northern New Mexico. Many of these students are underserved. This year alone, New Mexico was placed 48th in economic well-being, 44th in health, 49th in family and community, and 50th in education. Moving Arts addresses these areas where the state is lacking and provides opportunities for families to improve their health through physical activity, diet, and creating outlets for expression.
Moving Arts has served 50,000 vegetarian, locally sourced free meals to students and their families, building community. Spring, summer and fall semesters provide a broad scope of creativity-based learning experiences to spark the imagination and strengthen the body. Offerings are specifically geared for participants from 3 years old to vibrant young adults.
Research from the Brookings Institute shows that a substantial increase in educational experiences in the arts has a remarkable impact on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Moving Arts has anecdotal evidence to support these findings.
“Children and teens of Española are not just passive beneficiaries of the community; they are agents of change,” Co-founder Roger Montoya said. “By providing a state-of-the-art building, Moving Arts will continue to be a catalyst for building community and fostering resilience and excitement for the youth of Northern New Mexico.”
Moving Arts recently expanded its programming to include more activities for teens and young adults, starting with a 2,400-square-foot digital media lab with 3D printing. Staff includes 16 paid interns in various roles; from teaching assistants to serving and preparing meals for students and families to learning technical skills in digital media that prepare them for the workforce. Students from local schools have developed their filmmaking skills at Moving Arts, one of whom received a New Mexico Film Prize Junior award for best drama.
Opportunities for young people at Moving Arts are dynamic, as they’re developed to serve the needs of the students and community. For example, Moving Arts spearheads the MARS ODYSSEY project in partnership with the state MESA Program and Española Valley High School. This project, funded by the Google Kids Initiative and the New Mexico Community Trust Technology Grant, is geared to promote intrinsic motivation to engage students and increase their overall academic performance.
The co-founders of Moving Arts have received international accolades; Roger Montoya is a CNN Hero, and Salvador Ruiz is a Univisionario Visionary. Moving Arts is a 2024 recipient of the Hopkins Award for Excellence in Ethical Practice by a non-profit. The award honors organizations and individuals in New Mexico that demonstrate the highest ethical practices in daily operations, management, and personal philosophies, as well as in their response to crises and challenges.
For Board President Linda Seebantz, this recognition underscores how critical this moment is for the future of Moving Arts.
“This organization is too important for our community – we’re changing lives in the most remarkable way,” Seebantz said. “We are grateful to the community partners stepping up as we turn over every stone to find our next space. This is not the time to sit on the sidelines. It’s a time to get involved and be part of our bold vision for the future.”
“Securing a new home is not just about finding a physical space; it is about sustaining the heartbeat of our organization, preserving the programs that bring joy and growth to our participants, and maintaining a safe, nurturing environment for our young people,” Montoya added. “We are guided by our mission to inspire, educate, and empower through the arts. We are looking for strong support to uphold our commitment to working with the young people of Northern New Mexico. If you ever wanted to help Moving Arts, now is the time.”
Donations can be made at movingartsespanola.org.
Students at Moving Arts Española celebrating the current facility when moving in more than 10 years ago. Courtesy/MAE