June 2026 Newsletter

June 2026 Newsletter 

AFTA Board members at AFTACON 2026 (back L-R) Theo Edmonds, Debra Garcia y Griego, Marc D. Folk, Kristina Newman-Scott, John Haworth, Michelle T. Boone, (front L-R) Robert Newman, CEO Erin Harkey, Ravi Rajan, and Nancy Stephens

FROM MOMENTUM TO MOVEMENT

A note from our CEO

This field is formidable. I’ve seen it this month — in Albuquerque, in Long Beach, and in the news out of San Diego. And we could feel that energy throughout AFTACON 2026. Whether you were with us in person or joined us from home, THANK YOU. Watch our recap video to see what you may have missed! You can also tune into the mainstage conversations — available for free online.

From Albuquerque, we headed to Long Beach — where together with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, we had the honor of recognizing Snoop Dogg, Ed Ruscha, Danny Trejo, and Chuck D with the 2026 Citizen Artist Awards.

And then came news from San Diego, a city that had proposed cutting 85% of its local arts funding. A public-private coalition has now committed to restoring more than $10 million. Why? Because the community organized.

It’s clear: this field’s momentum is growing into a national movement. What we build next is up to us.

Thank you for showing up — in New Mexico, online, and in your own communities every day.

We’ll see you out there!

— Erin Harkey, CEO

AFTA Board Chair and Knight Foundation VP/Arts Kristina Newman-Scott with civic leader Julián Castro

AFTACON: Organizing for Impact

Nine pathways. One shared future.

At AFTACON 2026, 1,000 arts leaders gathered in Albuquerque from June 2–5 to shape the future and organize for impact. Mainstage voices included iconic actor and translator Molly Ringwald and former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro. Throughout the conference, notable speakers like National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter and former NEA Chair Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson reminded us that the arts are deeply intertwined with civic life, community well-being, and our shared future.

Local ARTventures immersed us in New Mexico’s rich cultural landscape, while participants explored nine vital pathways and deep-dive incubators — from supporting rural creative communities and advancing arts education to strengthening advocacy efforts and driving political action. Whether you attended or missed out, you’re invited to keep organizing for impact.

Join a pathway community to connect through upcoming virtual learning sessions, contribute to field reports, and help shape the work ahead.

Let’s continue building momentum until we gather again in Atlanta, Georgia in June 2027.