Top 3 Big Cities: Top 3 Mid-Size Cities: |
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#1 Santa Fe, New Mexico
The country’s oldest capital, Santa Fe is celebrating its 400th anniversary through 2010. But it’s not just its rich history that propelled the city into the top spot for the third year running—with nearly 300 galleries and more than a dozen major museums, Santa Fe maintains a serious presence in the art world. It’s a force to be reckoned with, according to reader Jennifer Poleon, of Columbus, Ohio. “Santa Fe should be the envy of all other cities for sheer arts focus,” she said in casting her ballot. “Beyond the galleries and museums, the atmosphere practically breathes art.” “Nowhere but in Santa Fe is art incorporated into everyday life so completely,” added Joyce Wood, of Fort Myers, Fla. “Nowhere else does the environment shape it so much.” For a look at work directly influenced by the city, visit the 2008 Site Santa Fe Biennial, June 22-Oct. 26. This year, the event is curated by Lance Fung and will feature work by emerging artists, inspired by the locale and created onsite in the three weeks leading up to the event. During the Biennial, works will be installed in the exhibition’s main gallery as well as other locations around town. Be sure to see them while you can: in defiance of art’s commercialism, all works will be destroyed or recycled at the show’s end. Another popular fair, the former biennial ART Santa Fe, becomes an annual event this year. The international art fair is being held July 10-13 at the Santa Fe Railyard, home to a growing arts district. Watch for galleries, performance spaces, a farmers market and more to come to the Railyard over the next year. |
