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Take Another Look:
"CABQ Announces New Public Art Leadership"
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Join us for this special episode with Michael Ogilvie, the new Public Art Urban Enhancement division manager with the City of Albuquerque.
In this episode, host joni palmer and Michael talk about his three decades of public art experience, what drew him to Albuquerque and the role as the division manager, as well as his approach and vision for the division in Albuquerque.
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Michael Ogilvie has over three decades of experience in the arts and has led several public art programs. He relocated to Albuquerque from the Bay Area where he was the Public Art Director for the City of San José – a position he held for nearly a decade.
Previously he was the Public Art Manager for Clark County, NV, and the Public Art Coordinator for the City of Las Vegas, NV. Additional experience includes Arts/Industry Coordinator for the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI, and higher education instructor for the College of Southern Nevada and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His public art efforts have maximized funding opportunities for artists; reduced tagging and gang markings by 80% in blighted neighborhoods; beautified buildings, bridges, and roadways; honored the fallen; memorialized the past; enhanced investment portfolios; reduced litter and pollution; and created gathering spaces for residents and marginalized communities to gather and unite. With three decades of public art experience, he knows and understands public art is not a luxury, it is a necessity, and it is as diverse and versatile as the communities we inhabit.
Michael received a BA in Art from the University of Nevada, Reno, and an MFA in painting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Upon graduating with his MFA he was awarded the prestigious Joan Mitchell Foundation grant. He has exhibited his personal artwork and comics nationally and internationally. He has published five comics-centered art books and has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers. His most recent iteration of illustrated stories Territorial Legends, chronicles the overlooked and remarkable lives of obscure iconoclasts. Michael resides in Albuquerque with his lovely wife who is an educator and artist, and their two small children.
| | Learn More About the People, Places, and Projects Discussed in Episode 26 | | Michael's Public Art Efforts | | Albuquerque Public Art Urban Enhancement Division | | The City of Albuquerque's Public Art Urban Enhancement Division is built on the foundation of two City ordinances: Art in Municipal Places (Public Art Program) and the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund. | Albuquerque Public Art Program | | |
Since 1978, the Albuquerque Public Art Program has purchased and commissioned works of art using 1% of the City of Albuquerque's construction funds derived from the general obligation bond program. Beginning in 2023, 1.5% of funds from general obligation bonds are set aside for the purchase or commission of works of art (including temporary and digital media) as well as the conservation and maintenance of existing public art.
Learn more about the Public Art Program at www.cabq.gov/publicart.
| | Urban Enhancement Trust Fund | | |
The Urban Enhancement Trust Fund (UETF) is a public endowment created by Albuquerque City Council in 1983.
The UETF funds non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organizations' arts and cultural projects through a two-year funding cycle. Projects may include: music, theater, dance, creative writing, visual art, performance art, installation, photography, film, teaching artists, arts education, culturally-based craft workers, and culture bearers.
Learn more about the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund at www.cabq.gov/uetf.
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In 2022, the UETF created the Resiliency Residency program. The UETF Resiliency Residency is a self-paced 18-month residency for artists of all mediums and disciplines to play, experiment, research, and create.
Due to UETF ordinance requirements, funds must flow through local, Albuquerque nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. These fiscal sponsor organizations also serve as mentors and support systems for each artist.
In 2026, the Resiliency Residency will fund 16 artists at $5,000 each with FUSION and Working Classroom acting as the fiscal sponsor organizations.
Learn more about the UETF Resiliency Residency.
| | Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Staff | | |
The Public Art Urban Enhancement Division has six full-time staff positions. The staff manages and coordinates the division including Public Art, UETF, Veteran's Memorial Review Committee, and Gallery One.
Learn more about the division staff.
| | Art Works: CABQ Employee Art Show | | |
Art Works: CABQ Employee Art Show features works by more than 60 City of Albuquerque employees from 21 departments, including Aviation, Environmental Health, Human Resources, and Senior Affairs, are exhibiting their artwork. Works include music, jewelry, sculpture, paper quilling, wood carving, painting, and poetry - showcasing that public service and artistic passion can go hand in hand.
The City's Employee Art Show was launched in 2020 as part of its ongoing commitment to foster a vibrant, inclusive, and creative workplace culture. Over the years, the show has grown in participation and featured a range of artwork, providing a unique experience for the public to experience the creativity of City workers.
Art Works: CABQ Employee Art Show will be on view through February 13. Gallery One hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Gallery One is located on the first floor of City Hall at 1 Civic Plaza NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
Learn more at www.cabq.gov/galleryone.
| | 2026 Listen and Learn Workshop Series | | |
Big Picture, Small Details: Getting Started with the Business of Art
January 28, 2026 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Gallery One, 1 Civic Plaza NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Join Mika Maloney, artist and OffCenter Arts executive director, for a presentation on the basics of crafting a business that will support and honor your creative work. Participants will consider exploring the practical steps that help create stability and clarity in an arts-based business, as well as the small details that build a foundation for success.
Maloney will share resources for how to write and talk about your artwork, pricing and presenting your artwork, and how to strengthen the business side of your art.
Parking validation will be offered for the Listen and Learn events for the Civic Plaza parking garage. Gallery One and Listen and Learn programs are free and open to the public.
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Arts & Healing: The Role of Art Therapy in Promoting Personal & Community Wellbeing
February 6, 2026 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Gallery One, 1 Civic Plaza NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Elise Gill, ArtStreet educator and art therapist at Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, leads a workshop on the healing power of art. Engage the senses while you co-create a therapeutic experience with your neighbors. Develop a deeper understanding of the health benefits of making art in a variety of contexts and discover the impact creativity has on personal and community resilience while learning more about local, accessible art-making opportunities.
Parking validation will be offered for the Listen and Learn events for the Civic Plaza parking garage. Gallery One and Listen and Learn programs are free and open to the public.
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Tune into our next set of episodes where we switch gears and focus on public art and Route 66!
Do you have an idea for future podcast episodes?! Send your podcast ideas to publicart@cabq.gov.
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