12-03-2025 5:35am

Southern New Mexico Creatives: The State Just Dropped Grants Up to $25,000 – And Yes, You Can Apply From Otero County!

Chris Edwards Editor

If you own a for-profit creative business that’s been grinding for at least three years – whether you’re slinging turquoise jewelry in Tularosa, running a pottery studio in Cloudcroft, or building wild sci-art installations out in the desert – the state of New Mexico wants to hand you up to $25,000 to grow your operation.

The Creative Industries Division over at the Economic Development Department just opened the latest round of the Business Development & Expansion Grant Program. Think new equipment, beefed-up marketing, hiring help, or finally getting that website that doesn’t look like it was built in 2003.

“These grants are a game-changer for small creative shops trying to punch above their weight,” said Shani Harvie, head of the Creative Industries Division. “We’ve seen them turn local makers into national players and help rural artists put their communities on the map.”

You can only apply once per fiscal year, and there are two quick windows coming up:

• Round 1: Open RIGHT NOW through December 26 (closes 6 p.m.)

• Round 2: February 2–27, 2026

There’s a free info webinar this Thursday, December 5 at 10 a.m. if you want the inside scoop before you hit submit.

Some of the folks who’ve already cashed in:

• T.Skies Jewelry out of Albuquerque scored a Polo Ralph Lauren partnership and grew their program that puts Native kids through college.

• Paseo Pottery in Santa Fe bought new wheels, launched mobile pop-ups, and has donated over $118,000 to local nonprofits.

• STEMarts Lab up in Taos/El Prado built an augmented-reality trail on BLM land and took their youth training program to a dozen rural and tribal communities.

Point is, the money gets used in real, creative, community-boosting ways – and there’s zero reason a Lincoln County filmmaker, an Alamogordo metal artist, or a Ruidoso woodworker couldn’t be next.

Full details and the application are at:

edd.newmexico.gov/creative-grants

First deadline is December 26 – that’s only three weeks away, folks. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to level up your creative hustle, this is it.