The gallery exhibits enhance our relationships with local artists and crafters, involve them in the Center’s programming and planning, and provide a free opportunity for people to come together and enjoy new art and meet the artists.

We feature a new art exhibit monthly with various themes, one-person, group exhibits, and installations.

Last year, about 20 artists participated in the gallery exhibits. In 2024, we hope to include at least five times that.

Age is not a factor and we will work with small children this year (the Historic Cortez Coloring Book Contest Exhibit, in collaboration with the Montezuma Heritage Museum and LOR Foundation, with submissions from all ages), Southwest Open School (SWOS, high-school graduates art exhibit),

Many of the exhibits are curated with community member artists joining the committees. Often, they are planned around a theme (such as Avian Art during our annual Birding Festival in May, and Recycled Art made from food wrappers during our Everybody Eats event in October). In all exhibits we strive to keep the exhibits in harmony with the context of our community. A large part of our community are ranchers and farmers and our exhibit in April will celebrate them and “rural life.” Native American artists are always welcome and featured in the Center Gallery as well as in our Gift Shop (which is more like a museum store).

All of the opening receptions are free and open to the public and we do not charge the artists submission fees for exhibit applications. If works are for sale in an exhibit, and they sell, the artists pay a modest commission to the Center.