By Connor Currier
The 2024 Public Art Census for the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County is finished and now available to the public.
New Mexico is well known for its cultural impact on film and art around the nation. In 2024, the City of Albuquerque Public Art Program, Bernalillo County Public Art Program and Rokh Research & Design Studio launched a groundbreaking initiative: the Albuquerque & Bernalillo County Public Art Census.
The Albuquerque & Bernalillo County Public Program has been leading the effort in shaping a thriving environment for local artistry around New Mexico. As only the second comprehensive public art census in the U.S., the project spanned nearly a year and over 20,000 linear miles across the county.
The Map of Artworks (add the layers from the menu in the top left corner), shows the multiple locations of artworks covering Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. According to the census report, there are 11,364 different types of artworks made visible in public spaces.
Also, the majority of the artworks are still in high-quality condition due to their recent installation, and 10,909 were within one mile of parks and open spaces.
The census integrated social and spatial data to assess how equitably public art is distributed. The result is a powerful, data-driven snapshot of community identity, access, and creative expression in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
“Public art is a reflection of our community’s history, culture, and identity,” said Bernalillo County Manager Cindy Chavez in a recent press release. “This census gives us a clearer picture of what our amazing local artists have already done, and will help us be able to feature them better and more productively as we plan for the future of public art across Bernalillo County.”
A dedicated team of local artists and creatives documented a wide range of expressions, including murals, mosaics, graffiti, lowriders, customized vehicles, stained glass, roadside memorials and more, capturing the rich, diverse creative landscape of the region.
The team also engaged with Land Grants and Pueblo and Navajo communities, respectfully seeking permission to include Cañón de Carnué, Chilili, To’Hajiilee and Isleta Pueblo.
For more information about these art projects, contact Kent Swanson at publicartprogram@bernco.gov
