In a unique living arrangement, diverse artists work together to create a new kind of community in El Paso

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Put a bunch of artists together in one creative space and what do you get? Less than a year after opening in Downtown El Paso the Roderick Artspace Lofts  is beginning to answer that question as all 51 local units have been filled up with a diverse group of artists who are getting to know each other and planting the roots of a vibrant arts community. “Real bonds are forming and real collaboration is happening between the Roderick residents, a group of people who are dedicated to the pursuit of making beauty and expressing themselves in creative ways,” said Eric Pearson, President and CEO of the El Paso Community Foundation. Artspace opened in January of 2017 in partnership with the El Paso Community Foundation and the City of El Paso, with the goal of  turning what was a vacant lot at the corner of Oregon and Missouri in Downtown El Paso into “an arts destination animated by artists and creative businesses.” “I hope that the community they are building is going to look outward beyond the walls of the Roderick Lofts and take it out to the streets.” Pearson said.

6 things that make El Paso’s Rubin Center an exceptional art space

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A faint sound of a motor engine rumbles in your ear as you enter the building. When you look to your right, high above the ground, there’s a video of a couple of people floating in air and you automatically feel like you’re in space. The flying, the colors, and the vast, clean space make “Territory of the Imagination,” the Rubin Center’s exhibition and the celebration for it’s 10th anniversary, entertainingly futuristic. “In our tenth anniversary we wanted to think about where we were at and so in a playful way, we are looking towards the future. These are all futuristic topics and imagery,” Kerry Doyle, managing director, said.

Punk Rock night market creates fun showcase for alternative arts and crafts

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Twice a month on the far east side of El Paso, an empty lot comes to life with Indie rock music wafting in the air as food trucks gather, and sales stands display glistening Day of the Dead skulls made from putty in white and black, with paintings of monsters lurking behind them. The Punk Rock Flea Market’s creator and organizer, Mia Valdez, said she got the idea of bringing to El Paso something of this sort after learning of a New Jersey horror market that sells horror and unique art. Valdez, a sculptor from El Paso, always thought there weren’t enough outlets for her to sell and promote her handmade putty skeletons. After researching the Web she found out there are punk rock markets all over the United States except in El Paso. “This is ridiculous,” said Valdez who was born in El Paso.

Borderzine Presents: El Paso’s Creative Economy

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El Paso is unlike any other city in the nation with its unique cultural dynamic. The city’s arts and events bring thousands of visitors every year and more than $2 million in direct spending. In this TV-style news magazine, journalism students at the University of Texas at El Paso take a closer look at some of El Paso’s artists and how economic efforts are affecting the creative community. The show aired live on Google Hangouts on Air on May 29, 2015. The program was made possible by support from the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies, the UTEP Department of Communication and Borderzine.com

See the complete special report and featured stories here.