Sara Atencio-Gonzales

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper – Long before the midway lights, green chile cheeseburgers and rodeos that now mark September in Albuquerque, New Mexicans were already gathering for the fair. The tradition stretches back to the 1880s, when New Mexico was still a territory. Now, as another State Fair approaches, the Albuquerque Museum is looking […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – Albuquerque artist Alexa Wheeler is exploring the stories held by the ordinary objects we inherit. Her latest body of work, kept + carried, examines memory, care and the often-unseen labor passed through generations of women using printmaking, textiles, photography, found objects and community participation. Wheeler was recently selected for […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – Dancemakers from around the world have the opportunity to bring their creative work to Albuquerque as applications open for Keshet’s 2027 Makers Space Experience. The annual 10-day residency, organized through Keshet Dance Company & Center for the Arts’ Ideas and Innovation Community, brings choreographers and dancemakers together to develop […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – New Mexico’s desert landscape may not look like traditional wine country, but for Lescombes Family Vineyards, the state’s hot days and cool nights are part of what makes its wines stand out. Brandon Young, CEO of Lescombes, explains that New Mexico’s arid climate creates growing conditions that differ from […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Musical Theatre Southwest is bringing Come From Away to Albuquerque with a story that focuses less on tragedy and more on what happened when strangers chose to help one another. The Tony Award-winning musical, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, follows […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – When Stacia King-Sakya faced treatment for follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, her community rallied around her. Now, she’s looking to return some of that support through For the Love of Lymphoma, a fundraiser she launched in 2025 to support Blood Cancer United and help connect patients and families with resources. The […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – New Mexico still doesn’t have a Michelin-star restaurant, but it’s culinary scene earned national  recognition this week as the Michelin Guide announced its first-ever selections for affordability and other recognition the American Southwest, with two Albuquerque-area restaurants among those honored. Frontier, the longtime Albuquerque restaurant on Central Avenue, received […]

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – For nine years, the Mindfield Film Festival has worked to provide independent filmmakers a place to share their work, make connections and continue creating. This month, the Albuquerque festival returns with another lineup of films, screenplays and opportunities for creatives to showcase their work. What began as a small […]