Mimbres Region Arts Council

What Mimbres Region Arts Council does

Mimbres Region Arts Council (MRAC) is a nonprofit arts organization headquartered in Silver City, New Mexico, with offices at the Silver City Visitor Center and a gallery space inside the Wells Fargo Bank building on North Pope Street. Its stated mission is to nurture a creative community in the Mimbres region of Southwest New Mexico by inspiring creativity, enriching education, and attracting visitors seeking authentic cultural experiences. MRAC's leadership comprises Executive Director Kevin Lenkner, Office Manager Daquiri Torres, and a Board of Directors including Acting President Manda Clair Jost, Treasurer Shanon Muehlhausen, and Director-at-Large Javier Marrufo.

MRAC operates a portfolio of recurring programs rather than discrete software products. Core offerings include the annual Silver City Blues Festival (free admission, Memorial Day weekend, 24th annual in 2019 and described as one of the largest events in southwest New Mexico), the Chocolate Fantasia chocolate tasting event, the Indie Folk Performance Series held at the Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House in Pinos Altos, the Southwest Print Fiesta featuring steamroller printing, the Youth Murals Camp for children ages 6-12, the K-12 Southwest Student Art Exhibition, and the Arts & Military Initiative addressing veterans' reintegration challenges. Programming is delivered through venue partnerships with Western New Mexico University, the Silver City Public Library, and other local organizations.

MRAC's business model is grant- and donation-funded. Revenue streams include individual tax-deductible donations, tiered membership fees ranging from $20 (Student) to $500 (Contributor) with corresponding benefits, ticket sales for select events (e.g., $25 Chocolate Fantasia tasting tickets, $15-$50 workshop fees), and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, New Mexico Arts, the Town of Silver City, and the Lineberry Foundation. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on volunteer engagement, word-of-mouth, email newsletters, and local media partnerships rather than traditional sales channels. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization runs on standard website, email, and event-production infrastructure.

Name

Mimbres Region Arts Council

Legal name

Mimbres Region Arts Council

Website

https://mimbresarts.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mimbres Region Arts Council is a nonprofit arts organization based in Silver City, New Mexico, that operates annual festivals (Blues Festival, Chocolate Fantasia, Print Fiesta), arts education programs (Youth Murals Camp, K-12 exhibitions), and veterans arts initiatives to nurture a creative community in Southwest New Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils) (EDAAAFAD)

Keywords

• Community arts programming
• Arts education programs
• Music festival events
• Youth arts education
• Cultural community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting arts programs and operations. Donations are explicitly stated as fully tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
2. Membership Fees: Tiered membership program ranging from Student ($20) to Contributor ($500) levels, providing benefits including discounted tickets and reserved seating.
3. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from concerts, festivals, and workshops including the Indie Folk Performance Series, Blues Festival, and Chocolate Fantasia tasting tickets.
4. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from National Endowment for the Arts, New Mexico Arts, and other institutional funders to support specific programs such as Youth Murals Camp.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mimbres Region Arts Council (MRAC) is a nonprofit arts organization that produces and presents community arts programming for the Silver City and Southwestern New Mexico region. Its core offerings include signature annual music and arts festivals (Silver City Blues Festival, Chocolate Fantasia, Southwest Print Fiesta), a recurring concert series (Indie Folk Performance Series), K-12 arts education programs (Youth Murals Camp, Southwest Student Art Exhibition), and the Arts & Military Initiative serving veterans. The organization is sustained through individual donations, tiered memberships, event ticket revenue, and grants from arts agencies.

Product overview

Mimbres Region Arts Council operates as a single unified organization offering a portfolio of arts programs and community events rather than a software platform. The core offerings include the Indie Folk Performance Series (concert performances), Silver City Blues Festival (annual music festival), Chocolate Fantasia (culinary arts event), Southwest Print Fiesta (printmaking festival), and Youth Murals Camp (arts education). Additional programs include K-12 student exhibitions, the Arts & Military Initiative for veterans, and membership/donation programs for community support. These programs collectively aim to nurture a creative community through arts education, cultural events, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Silver City Blues Festival: Annual blues music festival held over Memorial Day weekend featuring national and international performers, arts & crafts, and family activities.
• Chocolate Fantasia
• Indie Folk Performance Series
• Southwest Print Fiesta
• Arts & Military Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• 24th Annual Silver City Blues Festival - one of largest events in southwest New Mexico
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Mexico ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019State arts agency co-convening the Arts & Military Roundtable with MRAC. New Mexico Arts is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs and provides financial support for arts services statewide through the NM Arts and the Military initiative exploring arts for veteran health and wellness.
• Americans for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational arts service organization whose Statement on Cultural Equity MRAC adopted. Partners on the National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military to advance arts in healthcare and healing for military communities.
• Library of Congress Veterans History ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal program that collects and preserves veteran oral histories. New Mexico Arts partnered with VHP to offer training workshops for volunteers on conducting veteran interviews.
• Western New Mexico UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university serving as venue partner for events (FACT Theater) and student exhibition space for K-12 Southwest Student Art Exhibition at J. Cloyd Miller Library.
• Silver City Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Youth Murals Camp 2018 and community programming location.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arts Council of Indianapolis: Community arts council supporting cultural programming, grants, and artist services in a U.S. metropolitan region. Comparable in function (funding, convening, programming) but operates in a much larger urban market than MRAC.
• Tucson Pima Arts Council: Community/regional arts council serving Pima County, Arizona with grants, events, and arts education programming. Highly comparable in mission, scale, and rural Southwest operating context to MRAC.

Broad incumbents

• National Endowment for the Arts: Federal arts agency providing grant funding for MRAC programs including Youth Murals Camp and the Creative Forces military arts initiative. Operates a tier above MRAC as a funder but shares the same mission of expanding public access to arts.
• Greater Houston Arts Council: Municipal-supported arts council providing grants, programs, and services for a major U.S. metro region. Mirrors MRAC's community arts council model at significantly larger scale and budget.
• Americans for the Arts: National arts service organization whose Statement on Cultural Equity MRAC adopted and with which MRAC partners on the National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military. Comparable as a broader umbrella for community arts advocacy, though operating nationally rather than regionally.

Regional players

• New Mexico Arts: State arts agency of New Mexico that co-convenes the Arts & Military Roundtable with MRAC and funds MRAC programs. Operates one level above as a state-level funder/convener but with closely overlapping programs and audiences.
• Mid-America Arts Alliance: Regional arts organization serving multiple states through grants, touring, and professional development. Comparable to MRAC as a nonprofit regional arts service body, though at a larger multi-state scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mimbres-region-arts-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mimbres Region Arts Council