American Style magazine named Albuquerque No. 2 for mid-sized cities and Santa Fe was No. 1 for small cities as art destinations.
American Style says of the Duke City:
From Native American art to a stunning skyline filled with colorful hot air balloons each October, Albuquerque is trying to make a name for itself in the crowded New Mexico cultural tourism scene. Dana Herrera, managing editor of the city's arts magazine, cast a vote for her hometown, explaining, "I have seen contemporary art really carve a niche for itself in Albuquerque. We have an amazing art scene not often recognized by the national eye over Santa Fe's more traditional sensibilities. Albuquerque is the place to break out." Look for some of those break-out artists at galleries along Central Avenue — the historic Route 66, or on one of Albuquerque's monthly ArtsCrawls.
Albuquerque finished behind only Buffalo, N.Y., in its category.
As for Santa Fe:
A small town with big art. Santa Fe's streets are lined with some 250 galleries and the city is also home to the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian; the Museum of Fine Arts; the Palace of the Governors history museum; and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Not bad for a desert town with a population of 62,000. Many of those residents are artists themselves, and visitors can view them at work during one of several studio tours held annually around Santa Fe.
Santa Fe also is on an old alignment of Route 66.
In the big cities division, New York City was tops.
Hat tip to Duke City Fix and New Mexico Business Weekly for the tips.