January 22, 2025

Join us for the first of 3 episodes about the City's Urban Enhancement Trust Fund (UETF) and the unique residency it offers. joni palmer will talk with Public Art Urban Enhancement Division staff Eric Werner, Management Analyst II and UETF Manager, and Madrone Matishak, Special Projects Coordinator, about UETF, the UETF Board, policies, and the Artist Resiliency Residency.

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Madrone Matishak joined the CABQ Public Art Urban Enhancement Division as a UNM intern in January 2020, specifically working for the granting body, the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund. In her time at the City, she has helped build out and clean the Public Art Databases, compiled comprehensive resource lists for Albuquerque artists, and currently coordinates the UETF Resiliency Residency Program. In 2024 she was an Albuquerque Business First 40 Under 40 Honoree.

The Urban Enhancement Trust Fund (UETF) is a public endowment created by the Albuquerque City Council in 1983 to fund both capital and cultural projects. In 2004, the City Council amended the ordinance to provide that all funds available from the endowment should be directed to cultural projects.

The ordinance also provides for an eleven-member board called the UETF Board that is responsible for establishing guidelines, criteria for project selection for each two-year granting cycle, and oversight for each funded project throughout the two years. UETF supports projects that enhance and enrich Arts and Culture for City residents.

Learn more about UETF at cabq.gov/uetf.

Here is a snapshot of how the UETF process works. Every two years:

1. Non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations or a collective or community group in partnership with one, applies for UETF funds.
2. The UETF Board reviews applications and recommends grantees.
3. The Mayor and City Council approves recommended grantees.
4. Organizations receive funds for project(s).
5. Organizations report on activities funded.
6. The public enjoys Arts and Cultural events in Albuquerque!

The UETF ordinance provides for an eleven-member board called the UETF Board that is responsible for establishing guidelines. The UETF Board, with Staff input, develops criteria for project selection for each two-year granting cycle, and are responsible for reviewing and scoring each application

Learn more about the UETF Board and how to join the board.

The UETF funds arts and cultural projects including music, theater, dance, creative writing, visual art, performance art, installation, photography, film, teaching artists, arts education, culturally-based craft workers and culture bearers.

Projects must be submitted by non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations or a collective or community group in partnership with one. The organization must be dedicated to enhancing the arts in greater Albuquerque.

Learn more projects UETF has funded.

The UETF Resiliency Residency Program is a self-paced, "at-home" residency that encourages artists of all mediums and disciplines to play, experiment, research, and create. Residency artists are invited to use the funds to further their artistic practice and are asked to show a public presentation of the work at some point in the Residency period.

The 2022 Residency cycle funded 5 fiscal sponsor organizations and 90 artists, bringing Albuquerque plays, dance pieces, books, new research, and festivals.

The 2024 Residency cycle includes 2 new fiscal sponsor organizations and 20 artists as well as 14 returning 2022 Resiliency Residency artists for a total of 34 artists.

Learn more about the UETF Resiliency Residency.

Here is a snapshot of how the UETF Resiliency Residency process works. Approximately every 18 months:

1. Non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations apply to be a fiscal sponsor organization.
2. The UETF Board reviews applications and recommends fiscal sponsor organizations to act as mentors for the Residency artists.
3. Artists apply for the UETF Resiliency Residency.
4. A representative of the fiscal sponsor organizations and members of the UETF Board reviews artists' applications and recommends Residency artists.
5. Artists and fiscal sponsor organizations are paired together.
6. Due to UETF legal requirements, funds are provided to fiscal sponsor organizations for the Residency artists.
7. The public enjoys Arts and Cultural events in Albuquerque!

Organizations and artists can reach out to uetf@cabq.gov for questions about UETF and the Resiliency Residency Program.

• Sign up for the Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Newsletter to be the first to hear about UETF regular cycle applications and Resiliency Residency applications.
• Learn more about UNM's Arts Leadership + Business program.

City of Albuquerque Public Art Urban Enhancement Division | cabq.gov/publicart