The University of New Mexico’s College of Fine Arts (CFA) recently announced the launch of the UNM College of Fine Arts Framework Plan.  

The Framework Plan is an integrated physical and strategic 10-year plan that will help to identify, prioritize, and make the case for capital projects that will meet the needs of the CFA’s immediate and long-term growth. Created in partnership with faculty, students, staff, alumni and the broader creative community, this plan lays out six high-level areas that will guide the college’s vision and growth over the next decade:

  • Strategic Development
  • Partnerships
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Financial Sustainability
  • Existing and Proposed Facilities

The CFA Framework planning process began in June 2021 and took six months to complete.

“This plan would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of our planning team, who included members of the CFA leadership team, UNM Planning, Design & Construction, and our consultant team comprised of Studio Ma, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, and Esser Studios,” said Harris Smith, dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts.

One of the most exciting components of the plan is the exploration of a new creative gateway for the Lobo community: The Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology.

“We imagine this state-of-the-art facility not only serving as a representation of the rich arts and culture that we love about New Mexico, but also becoming a hub for interdisciplinarity and meeting statewide demands across creative industries,” said Smith. 

There is still much work to do to make this new facility a reality and to fully implement the forward-thinking vision outlined in the rest of the CFA Framework Plan, but the University of New Mexico is already taking the first step. The 2022 session of the New Mexico Legislature has begun and The University of New Mexico has developed its legislative priorities for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY22), which includes a general obligation bond request of $65,000,000 for the College of Fine Arts Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology. 

To view or download, visit CFA Framework Plan or download the complete list of UNM’s Fiscal Year 2023 Legislative Priorities by visiting UNM's Government Relations website.