Music & Art in the Foothills
31st Anniversary Season 2017—2018
The Placitas Artists Series is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
This project is made possible in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs,
Image Used with Permission
© Peter Böhringer- All Rights Reserved
The Placitas Artists Series is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit
organization dedicated to fostering public appreciation of the
performing and visual arts in Central New Mexico. Our mission
is to present high-quality musical performances and art exhibits
in a stimulating setting; to promote regional talent through
community involvement in the arts; and to help our youth
develop artistic interests by offering outreach programs to local
schools.
The birth of the Placitas Artist Series came about as a result of the
happy confluence of a couple of timely events as well as the vision
and eager participation of several Placitas folks.
In 1984 the Las Placitas Presbyterian Church completed its new
sanctuary and the pastor and congregation were eager to promote
and share it with the larger Placitas community. One concert had
been held there and the acoustics proved to be very fine indeed.
Around the same time a group of string musicians recently arrived
in Albuquerque from Mexico formed what became the Helios String
Quartet and began looking for performance opportunities. The wife
of the organizing cellist was a reporter with The Albuquerque
Journal with friends in Placitas, who suggested she interview the
pastor of the church for a story idea. The resulting article was
“Placitas Church Serves as Hub: Varied Activities Foster Spirit of
Community.” The other result of that interview was an idea: a
Helios String Quartet concert in the new sanctuary!
The success of that concert seemed to beg for more of the same and
a committee was formed to set in motion a whole series for the
following season. The pastor, the church treasurer, the church
music director, the cellist, the friend, and a local artist organized
themselves into the first board of directors, chose a name, wrote by-
laws and planned the concerts. The pre-existing local art shows in
the church’s fellowship hall would be promoted alongside the
concerts and would later be incorporated into PAS itself.
After its first season PAS incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)3,
wholly independent of the church. PAS is currently celebrating its
thirtieth season!
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Sally Curro is a founding member of the Placitas Artists Series and
continues to serve the organization as a board member emeritus
