100 Years Young: Celebrating a Century of Culture, Art, and Community

The Spanish Colonial Arts Society is proud to celebrate its 100th year. As we reflect on a century of preserving and sharing the rich artistic and cultural traditions of New Mexico, we invite you to join us throughout this special year. Our Centennial Celebrations are underway, and new events are being added regularly. We hope you’ll be part of this meaningful milestone.

One of our upcoming highlights is the Annual Summer Celebration, taking place on Saturday, July 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This ticketed event brings together Spanish Colonial Arts Society supporters, Spanish Market artists, and guests for an evening themed “Generation/s: Tradition as Innovation.” It will be a celebration of the creativity and cultural contributions of Nuevo Mexicano artists. Held in collaboration with UNESCO Creative Cities and the City of Santa Fe Arts & Culture Department, the evening will include music, conversation, and light refreshments in a vibrant summer setting.

Another special event is “The Living Tradition of Chimayó Weaving,” taking place Friday, August 8 through Monday, August 11 at the Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show in Santa Fe. Presented in collaboration with Whitehawk and curated by SCAS, this off-site exhibition showcases historic and contemporary textiles by weavers of Chimayó, New Mexico. Several of the featured works have never been exhibited before. The event includes a gallery talk by Emily Trujillo, an eighth-generation Chimayó weaver, offering insight into the legacy and artistry behind this enduring tradition.

As we celebrate, we also reflect on the direction of our organization. “100 years young” truly describes the energy we’re experiencing. There is a vibrancy and sense of renewal across all areas of our work. This year has been full of engaging monthly events focused on the vision of our founders and the lasting impact of SCAS. While we renamed our museum last year to better reflect the collection it houses, our mission remains constant: to interpret, preserve, and present the cultural and artistic heritage of New Mexico in its global context—past, present, and future—through exhibitions, research, and community programming.

We’ve also welcomed new team members this year. Michella Estrada Wempen joins us as Visitor Services Representative, bringing experience in design, technology, and small business. Natassja Santistevan, our new Registrar and Collections Associate, grew up in northern New Mexico and comes with a background in journalism and art history. Both Michella and Natassja are already making a strong impact, helping us better serve our visitors and care for our collection.

We’re also excited to share that Jana Gottshalk has expanded her role from E. Boyd Curator to also serve as our Museum Director, bridging our public exhibits with our permanent collection and archive. In a reflection following her recent attendance at the national AAM (American Alliance of Museums) conference in Los Angeles, Jana noted how museums across the country are adapting to a post-pandemic reality. Many institutions, like ours, are rethinking programming and engagement models. Jana’s takeaway was clear: though the landscape has shifted, our role as a community-focused institution remains more vital than ever. We are embracing that challenge with intention and care.

Personally, I marked a milestone of my own this year—five years as Executive Director of SCAS as of May 1, 2020. In that time, we’ve made significant progress, including establishing two new endowments, restructuring to offer year-round free museum admission, and dramatically increasing both annual giving and reserve funds. Our Board of Directors now more fully reflects the diversity of our community, and we’re excited about what lies ahead.

As we continue our centennial year, we remain committed to serving our community and preserving the stories, skills, and creativity that define our shared heritage. We hope you’ll celebrate with us.

—Jennifer Berkley

Executive Director, Spanish Colonial Arts Society

A Note from the Museum Director

This spring, I had the opportunity to attend the national AAM conference in Los Angeles alongside more than 4,000 museum and arts professionals. It was a gathering of organizations large and small, from the Metropolitan Museum to local collectives like the Lowrider Alliance of Los Angeles. I was proud to share the story of SCAS’s collaboration with the Lowrider Bike Club and encouraged by the enthusiasm it generated.

The conference brought into focus how different the museum landscape looks post-pandemic. There is a shared sense of both challenge and possibility. Many institutions are grappling with reduced federal funding and shifting visitor expectations. At SCAS, we’ve felt those changes too and have been experimenting with new approaches in our programming and exhibits. Some ideas have worked well; others have not. What’s clear is that adaptability and community connection are more important than ever.

We are proud of our museum’s intimate scale, which allows us to know our visitors personally and respond to their interests. We remain committed to serving our schools and community through meaningful, relevant storytelling rooted in the region’s rich history. While our work may look different in this new era, our purpose is unchanged. We look forward to continuing the journey with you.

—Jana Gottshalk

E. Boyd Curator & NMHA Museum Director