Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District Open Call for Storytellers

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Share your downtown holiday memories for Luminarias

The Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District invites the community to share holiday memories of downtown Las Cruces as part of Luminarias: A Downtown Holiday Memory Project.

Stories will be used to create digital luminarias of collective memories to be showcased online in time for the holidays. Memories, including one photo, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 22 to be considered. Participation is limited to the first 30 qualifying submissions.

“There are so many memories of the holiday season in our historic district – Las Posadas, Los Pastores, midnight mass and Matachines dances at St. Genevieve’s downtown, Christmas lights on Main Street – just to name a few images of the cultural environment of our neighborhood. I encourage people of all ages to share their stories with us,” said Irene Oliver-Lewis, a longtime resident of the Mesquite Street District and one of the original founders of the development of the Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District.

Luminarias was created to showcase the multi-cultural holiday experiences of Las Cruceans, with a focus on downtown. Since these memories are not limited to the commercial districts, storytellers with memories of home and family holiday celebrations are also encouraged to submit. Stories must be written in 500 words or less and have a corresponding photograph. Spanish language stories are acceptable.

Complete information and submission requirements can be found at https://downtownlascruces.org/las-cruces-arts-cultural-district/, or by calling 575/525-1955.

The Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District (LCACD) is a vibrant, inspirational, diverse, and asset-rich cultural environment with collective economic and quality of life benefits. Situated in the heart of downtown, the LCACD strives to promote the borderland arts and culture that make it authentically Southern New Mexico.

As part of Downtown Las Cruces Partnership, the LCACD is directed by a Coordinating Council, a dedicated group of volunteers who strive to make the original town-site the hub of the local creative economy.