KNME-New Mexico PBS is the beneficiary of a newly established Arts & Education Endowment, permanently held at the Albuquerque Community Foundation. To aid in building the endowment, KNME-NM PBS partnered with "The Great Southwestern Antique Show," sponsored by Cowboys & Indians Antiques in Albuquerque and "The Santa Fe Show-Objects of Art." Proceeds of $29,748.82 from the opening night of both events were deposited in this first year’s partnership and used to establish the endowment fund. 

Through this fund, KNME-NM PBS will continue to develop and present arts and education programs, as well as outreach activities, to central and northern New Mexico, enriching the lives of New Mexicans, generation after generation.

Beginning in 2014, KNME-NM PBS will receive a distribution grant each year to help fund some of the needs specific to serving the Northern & Central New Mexico Community.

“These annual shows entail bringing in hundreds of trucks, filled with thousands of objects, brought in for sale by several hundred antiques and fine arts dealers who wish to sell those objects to the thousands of collectors who come to Albuquerque and Santa Fe to shop for some of the finest pieces of art available today,” said Terry Schurmeier, owner of Cowboys & Indians. “Much money changes hands, many antiques find new homes and many collectors have happily filled another hole that was waiting to be filled in their collection and sometimes in their hearts.”

Schurmeier added, “But also in the hearts and minds of these hearty sellers and shoppers is the need and desire to give back. Earlier this year a partnership was formed to give back directly to our Northern New Mexico residents. This involved the organizers of two local art events and the development staff of KNME-NM PBS, to join forces to raise money to fund a permanent endowment that would provide annual funding for our local art and education television station. The concept involves both shows offering an early entry VIP preview with 100 percent of all proceeds from each opening used to fund the endowment.”

“We are delighted and grateful to Terry Schurmeier, Kim Martindale and John Morris for establishing the NM PBS Great Southwestern Arts & Education Endowment for their generous gift of utilizing opening night entry proceeds to help kick off this fund,” said Theresa Spencer, director of development, KNME-NM PBS. “We encourage others to consider donating to this fund as well. It’s open to everyone, it’s simple to do, it’s being administered by the Albuquerque Community Foundation, and donations of any amount are gratefully accepted.”

For more information about the NM PBS Great Southwestern Arts & Education Endowment, contact Theresa Spencer, director of Development, at (505) 277-1225.