OPINION: Business leaders need to support art

In the coming years, America faces a stark choice: Will we remain a nation that invests in creativity, culture and community — or one that starves its soul in pursuit of narrow ideological agendas?

That choice is no longer theoretical. We are witnessing a concerted effort — from certain factions in Washington — to slash federal arts funding, undermine cultural institutions and politicize artistic expression. If these efforts succeed, the damage to our national fabric will be profound — and permanent.

I speak not only as a CEO of a New Mexico company, but as the manager of two of the state’s most iconic cultural events: Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque and Traditional Spanish Market in Santa Fe. I see every day how the arts drive both economic growth and cultural cohesion. And I know that in New Mexico, arts and culture are not luxuries — they are lifeblood.

Consider this: The U.S. arts and cultural sector contributes over $1 trillion annually to our economy and supports more than 5 million jobs. In New Mexico alone, cultural tourism fuels local businesses, generates tax revenue, and sustains thousands of artists, musicians, craftspeople and event professionals.

Yet despite these facts, the arts are often the first target when political winds shift. This is short-sighted in the extreme. You cannot have a thriving economy without a vibrant cultural ecosystem. You cannot build community resilience by eroding the very traditions that bind us together. Nor can we feel life’s fullness without diverse experiences in the arts.

Here in New Mexico, we are a living example of this truth. Our music, visual art, dance, and storytelling traditions are not museum pieces — they are dynamic forces that attract visitors from around the world and infuse our communities with purpose and pride. Events like Mariachi Spectacular and Traditional Spanish Market, and many others like these two, connect generations, foster innovation and celebrate the deep diversity that makes our state unique.

But none of this happens by accident. Public investment matters. Federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities provide critical support that is then leveraged by states, cities, nonprofits and businesses. When these funds are cut or politicized, the damage ripples through the entire cultural economy — especially in smaller states like New Mexico.

That is why community and business leaders must not stay silent. We should be among the loudest voices defending arts and culture — not just because it’s the right thing to do morally, but because it is essential for our economic future. Creative communities attract talent. They drive tourism. They foster entrepreneurship. They build the kind of places where people want to live, work and raise families.

To my fellow CEOs and civic leaders, I say this: Now is the time to act. Advocate for strong arts funding. Invest in local cultural organizations. Push back against efforts to marginalize or censor artistic expression. And make it clear that a nation that abandons its artists abandons its history, its heritage, its identity.

We cannot let that happen — not on our watch, and not in a state as culturally rich as New Mexico. This is a defining test of leadership — for all of us in business, culture and public life. Will we step up to sustain what makes our communities worth living in? The answer must be yes — and it must be now. The soul of America is at stake.