Music & Art in the Foothills
32nd Anniversary Season 2018—2019
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,
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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 thirty-second season!
* * *
Sally Curro is a founding member of the Placitas Artists Series
and continues to serve the organization as a board member
emeritus