(Santa Fe, NM - October 28, 2015) — The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) has received five awards from the New Mexico Association of Museums (NMAM), the state's professional museum association. The NMAM announced the winners of its prestigious Edgar L. Hewett institutional and individual awards, which are made to individuals or organizations whose actions exemplify leadership and service to the New Mexico museum community and for their achievements in the museum field.
"On behalf of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs, I am so very proud to announce the department has been singled out in five instances this year by the New Mexico Association of Museums," said DCA Cabinet Secretary Veronica Gonzales. "These awards speak to the remarkable caliber of our treasured and longstanding programs, publications, and the exceptional quality of the state's specialized professionals and volunteers who work throughout DCA."
New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs entities were awarded three institutional and two individual honors:
El Palacio Magazine, Cynthia Baughman, Editor El Palacio, the oldest museum magazine in the nation, was founded in 1913. El Pal, as it is affectionately known, serves as the voice of New Mexico's four state museums in Santa Fe—New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art, New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, and Museum of Indian Arts and Culture; eight Historic Sites around the state; and, the Office of Archaeological Studies. Under the leadership of Cynthia Baughman, recently retired from her position as editor, El Palacio has continued and enhanced its role as the go-to source for scholarship and knowledge about the art, history, and culture of the Southwest. For more information: http://elpalacio.org/.
Museum of New Mexico Press, Anna Gallegos, Director Founded in 1951, the Museum of New Mexico Press is a preeminent publisher of books about Southwest regional arts, history, and culture. The Press collaborates regularly with the four state museums in Santa Fe, as well as other museum partners and independent authors. Anna Gallegos joined the staff in 1998 and has led the editorial and design team to multiple award-winning publications, including top honors from the American Alliance of Museums three years in a row (2005, 2006, 2007). Their titles are available in bookstores, museum shops, and libraries throughout the world. For more information: http://www.mnmpress.org/.
The Press at the Palace of the Governors, Thomas Leech, Director Begun in the late 1960s as a living exhibition where 19th-century presses were used to produce replica "Wanted" posters and newspapers, the Press at the Palace of the Governors—the Palace Press for short—quickly evolved into an internationally recognized and award-winning producer of limited fine-arts editions and portfolios and has grown into a hub of book art activity in New Mexico. Founding director Pamela Smith established the practice of combining publication production with educational programs and research. In 2001, Colorado artist and printer Thomas Leech took the reins and continues an exemplary tradition of excellence, creativity, and collaboration. Other recent honors include the 14th Carl Hertzog Award for Excellence in Book Design from the University of Texas at El Paso's Friends of the Library for Jack Thorp's Songs of the Cowboys, published in 2012; and honorable mention for the design of Margaret Wood's memoir, O'Keeffe Stories. Leech was also a recipient of the 2013 Santa Fe Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. For more information: http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org/PrintShop/hmpg.html.
Julia Clifton, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture As curator for the museum's Archaeological Research Collections, Julia Clifton will be recognized for her leadership of the collection's move into the new Center for New Mexico Archaeology. That involved more than eight million objects—the largest such move in the state's museum history and the largest collection of Southwest archaeological material ever. Prior to the move, the collection was stored in substandard conditions and was not a highlight of the museum's collection. Now the collection is properly cared for and is quickly becoming an institutional beacon for national research. For more information: http://www.indianartsandculture.org/arc-collections/.
Ginger Moore, Lincoln Historic Site The staff of Lincoln Historic Site nominated Ginger Moore for three achievements: as a volunteer at Lincoln Historic Site Tunstall Store Museum; as a member of the Friends of Historic Lincoln Board supporting the entire Lincoln Historic Site; and, as a member of the Lincoln Historic Preservation Board. Her dedication directly affects this Historic Site and its seven small museums. As a member of the Preservation Board, she took a stand in the center of controversy to support the spirit and intent of the preservation ordinance. As treasurer of the Friends group, she provides support for the museums, particularly in their finances. She has also helped identify operational and preservation needs in each of the museums and worked to find funding for them. For more information: http://www.nmmonuments.org/lincoln.
The Hewett Awards are named for Edgar Lee Hewett, an American archaeologist, anthropologist, and founder and first director of the Museum of New Mexico. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Antiquities Act. The award winners are nominated by the New Mexico Association of Museums' membership and voted on by the board of directors. They will be presented at the association's annual meeting in Carlsbad in November.
For more information about the New Mexico Association of Museums and the 2015 Annual Conference, visit www.nmmuseums.org.
The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is New Mexico's cultural steward and is charged with preserving and showcasing the state's cultural riches. With its eight museums, eight historic sites, arts, archaeology, historic preservation and library programs, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is one of the largest and most diverse state cultural agencies in the nation. Together, the facilities, programs and services of the Department support a $5.6 billion cultural industry in New Mexico.
For more information about the NM Department of Cultural Affairs, contact: Mary Ann Hatchitt, Communications Director, 505-795-0259, maryann.hatchitt@state.nm.us