Creative Santa Fe: Strengthening Santa Fe's Creative Economy
- Experiential Learning is Key to UNESCO Creative Tourism Conference
06/05/08 - The Santa Fe Railyard Center for Arts & Creativity
05/30/08 - Arts and Culture Fair at DeVargas Center
04/10/08 - Creative Tourism Conference
02/28/08 - Santa Fe City Council Candidates Forum
01/28/08 - Life and Business Solutions for Creative Santa Feans on February 14
01/25/08 - Community Forum December 1
11/15/07 - Creative Santa Fe Executive Director
10/01/07
News
Dena Aquilina joins Creative Santa Fe as Executive Director
Oct. 1, 2007 | Santa Fe, NM – Dena Aquilina joined Creative Santa Fe as the new Executive Director in September, 2007. Creative Santa Fe feels that Dena is the perfect person for this position and organization: she is a life-long artist with twenty years experience in group facilitation, teaching, and public presentations. She has served in leadership positions in neighborhood, community non-profit and civic organizations, and has been involved in economic development for the past seven years. Dena is a long-time Santa Fean with a deep-seated knowledge of the community: artists, businesses, local organizations, and government alike. Dena serves on the City of Santa Fe Business and Quality of Life Committee, and is a member of the 2007 Class of Leadership Santa Fe.
Prior to joining Creative Santa Fe, Dena worked at WESST Corp with artists and other entrepreneurs, helping them increase their business skills through trainings and one-on-one consultations. She created Nonviolence Through the Arts, which celebrated diversity and introduced basic mediation skills in schools throughout Northern New Mexico from pre-K to college graduate level. Dena also presented this program for twenty years in workshops, national and international conferences, community celebrations and gatherings.
Ms. Aquilina has been involved with Creative Santa Fe since the first meeting to present the BBER report on the economic impact of art and culture on Santa Fe at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in 2004. She served on the artist/business task force and later on the marketing committee.
Her artwork encompasses many genres: leather appliqué, mixed media, recycled art, photography, and jewelry. She also owned a home and personal accessory business for many years.
"I look forward to increasing opportunities and capacity for local and regional artists and other creative professionals through Creative Santa Fe" says Ms. Aquilina. "We have formed a partnership with HomeWise to increase availability for affordable housing for the creative community; and will be presenting that information soon. We will also be deeply involved with the Santa Fe International Conference on Creative Tourism in 2008." Dena also hopes to implement many of the innovative ideas that were presented by the creative community directly following the BBER report.
Top