Harwood Museum of Art in Taos will produce up to eight original 10-minute plays as part of the Harwood 100 Centennial programming. Submissions must address the theme of Harwood 100: Reflecting on Our Legacy. Envisioning the Future and are due no later than Sunday, Sept. 10. This project is open to writers ages 13 and up.

Selected plays will be staged in the Arthur Bell Auditorium during the closing weekend of the Harwood Centennial, Jan. 26-28, 2024.

Since 1938, the Harwood has been a home for the performing arts in Taos, serving as one of the first community theater spaces until the Taos Center for the Arts opened in 1972. The Harwood 100 Playwriting Competition is an homage to this history and opportunity to involve fresh voices in telling stories about the Harwood. We seek plays inspired by the collections, the people, the legends, and visions for the future of the arts in Taos. These original productions will open pathways to exploring the Harwood from multiple perspectives.

Harwood Education Coordinator, Christina Neubrand, will host a free play exploration workshop open to all interested writers with more information on the process, judging criteria, and content for the submissions. Participants will be guided through a series of exercises designed to inspire their writing. Be sure to bring a notebook and pencil! The workshops will be held on Sunday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Reserve a spot online.

Interested writers should refer to the complete Terms and Conditions and submission details online. Submissions will be judged by a panel of Harwood staff and community members. Chosen playwrights will be notified approximately early to mid-October 2023.

For inquiries, contact Gwendolyn Fernandez, Curator of Education and Public Programs.

About Harwood Museum of Art, Taos

Harwood Museum of Art is an internationally recognized cultural destination located within Taos’ historic downtown. As the second oldest museum in New Mexico, Harwood shares the most comprehensive story of Taos art, celebrating Taos’ artistic legacy, cultivating current connections through art, and inspiring a creative future.

Harwood features nine galleries including the world-famous Agnes Martin Gallery and regularly exhibits works from its 6,500-object collection featuring Native American, Hispano, Taos Society of Artists, Taos Moderns, as well as contemporary artists of the region. Harwood also curates exhibitions of regionally and nationally significant artists in the historically registered John Gaw Meem and contemporary galleries.

About Harwood’s Centennial

The Harwood Centennial creates a moment to reflect on the museum’s legacy, a chance to share a deeper understanding of the museum’s past, an opportunity to give voice to the lesser-known stories from its diverse communities, and an intention to build a creative future.

Harwood is engaging in multi-faceted programming that will cement the museum’s role as a steward of Western art history, including a major exhibition, publication, portfolio, events, and educational programming designed to warmly welcome its own community and visitors from everywhere. Harwood’s greatest assets will be polished and on full display, offering a dynamic chance for guests to understand the evolution of one of the Southwest’s oldest museums.

Harwood’s long-standing stewardship of nationally recognized art and artists make it a resource for those exploring Taos’ artistic relationship to the wider world. The Centennial will herald the ways in which Taos has been a crossroads for artists for millennia, and how it will continue to do so in the future.